An inter-ministerial central team is set to arrive in Odisha today for on-spot detail assessment of damages caused by cyclonic storm Jawad. The team will also review the relief and restoration works carried out by the State administration following the storm.
Led by Saurav Ray, Joint Secretary (CEPI), Ministry of Home Affairs, the six-member central team is also having representatives from Agriculture, Finance (Dept Of Expenditure), Fisheries, Power, Road Transport, and Rural Development.
The inter-ministerial team will visit the districts of Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Cuttack and Kendrapara for the assessment study tomorrow before returning to Delhi on December 13.
The Union Home Ministry in its deputation letter for the team has asked the officials to provide details of allocation, the release of funds and expenditure incurred during 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2020-21, under various schemes programmes implemented by concerned departments in Odisha.
Upon its field visit from Odisha and after making the final assessment, the team will submit its report within one week to the Disaster Management Division of the MHA for quick admissibility of central assistance and also recommend whether the disaster can be considered to be a 'severe nature'.
Cyclone Jawad, the fifth cyclonic storm of the active 2021 North Indian Ocean Cyclone season caused major disruptions in several districts of Odisha earlier last week.
Even though the storm weakened to depression due to wind shear as it brushed the Odisha coast without causing any major damage, record-breaking heavy rainfall under its impact lashed the north, south, and coastal belt of the State shattering hopes of the farming community just before peak Kharif harvest period.
Odisha government has also directed Collectors of all districts hit with cyclonic activity to furnish reports on losses suffered to the standing crops.