Odisha has not received any assistance for 2015 drought: Min

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government on Monday said it has not yet received any financial assistance from National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) to tackle the acute drought situation in 2015.

Replying to a question by Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Bijayshree Routray told the Assembly "Despite an acute drought, the state government has not received any assistance from the NDRF in 2015-16 fiscal."

Keeping the drought situation in view, the state government has already released Rs 519.41 crore for distribution of agriculture input subsidy among the affected farmers by March 18, 2016, Routray said adding Rs 251.99 crore has already been given to the farmers.

The state government had, however, received Rs 147.40 crore out of Rs 399.83 crore from the Centre towards Cyclone Phalin of 2013, the minister said.

At least 28 of the state's 30 districts were affected by the drought in 2015. The state government had demanded drought assistance of Rs 2,344.99 crore.