Bhubaneswar: For creation of disaster resilient infrastructure, the State Government has provided a total of Rs 3754.35 crore to Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).
For implementation of different projects and construction of cyclone shelters and different resilient infrastructures a sum of Rs 3754.35 crore was provided to OSDMA from different funding sources like SDRF, CMRF, World Bank Supported projects, Central Sponsored Project (Gol), State Government Budget, official sources said.
Till November end, Rs 3,137.71 crore has been spent and a balance of Rs 616.64 cores available with the OSDMA, the source said.
According to the sources, the State Revenue and Disaster Management Department has released Rs 638.38 crore to eight different departments from State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to eight different Departments during the financial year 2022-23 to 2024-25 (Till November end).
To increase disaster resilient infrastructure, funds have been provided to the Energy, Agriculture, Forest, Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UD), Rural Development, Water Resource, Works departments.
During the period, the highest amount of funds of Rs 146.98 crore has been released to the Energy Department from SDMF while another Rs 100.30 crore has been released to the Department from Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).
Similarly, the Water Resource Department has received a total fund of Rs 135.29 crore including Rs 100 crore OSDMA for building disaster resilient infrastructure during this period, the official data said.
The OSDMA has released Rs 107.98 crore to the Works Department for this purpose while the government has sanctioned another Rs 25.96 crore to the Department from SDMF, it said.
The State has released Rs 57.49 crore to Rural Development Department, Rs 26.91 crore to Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Rs 6.79 crore to Housing & Urban Development Department and nearly Rs 2 crore to Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department from the SDMF.
Besides, the OSDMA has received Rs 28.66 crore fund from the SDMF to carry out some of its own disaster resilient infrastructure projects in the State.
For management of disaster, the State Government has already constructed 844 Multipurpose Cyclone & Flood Shelters (MCS/ MFS) in different strategic locations of 25 districts (except Angul, Deogarh, Balangir, Kandhamal, Sundargarh) to provide safe shelter during any disaster, out of which 535 are Multipurpose Cyclone Shelter (MCS) and 309 Multipurpose Flood Shelters (MFS), the sources said.
Apart from these, 65 MCS have been constructed by Indian Red Cross Society, Odisha State Branch in 6 coastal districts. Another 27 Multipurpose Cyclone Shelters are under construction, they said.
The shelter buildings are constructed in such a strategic location to provide safe shelter to vulnerable people of the main villages and about 2-3 nearby villages.
In addition to MCS and MFS, the public buildings like academic buildings are being strengthened to act as shelters. At present the maximum percentage of vulnerable communities/villages are getting shelter constructed by the government and Indian Red Cross Society.
Construction of more MCS and MFS is being undertaken by the Government based on its requirement and availability of funds, the source informed.Steps are being taken to develop a Unified Command Control System for EWDS and other Disaster Management activities. The SEOC and DEOC are being modernised under World Bank supported Odisha State Comprehensive Resilient Growth Project (OSCRGP).