Orissa demands Rs 750 crore for flood relief

New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) The Orissa Government today urged the Centre to release Rs 750 crore from the National Calamity Contigency Fund for the unprecedented floods in the state during the current monsoon season.

Orissa Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal today met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and handed him over a representation for the release of the funds at the earliest for the relief work.

''The Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik had requested the Prime Minister to release Rs 750 crore out of the Fund so as to take care of the badly damaged infrastructure and relief work in the state,'' he said.

The tentative estimate of damage caused by the floods was Rs 1132 crore in the state and a detailed report was being sent to the Centre separately, said Mr Samal.

Many parts of the state were still under the grip of floods, as this year the state experienced more than nine times low pressure causing widespread rains in different parts of the state.

The worst affected districts are Balasore, Bhadrak, Puri, Gnajam, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nawrangpur, Balngir, Sonpur and Gajapati.

UNI PAT MIR RN1952