Cyclone Fani: 'Great job, Naveen babu!' says PM Modi after aerial survey of Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Odisha on Monday conducted an aerial survey to take stock of the areas which have been hit by the impact of cyclone Fani, that made landfall in Puri on Friday. Communication was very good between state and Central governments.I was also monitoring. The way the people of Odisha complied with every instruction of the government is praiseworthy. The govt of India had announced Rs 381 crore earlier, a further Rs 1,000 crore will be released now," PM Modi said after the aerial survey.

He said the work done the Biju Janata Dal government in Odisha led by Naveen Patnaik is exemplary. The PM announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. PM Modi was accompanied by Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who received him in Bhubaneswar. PM Narendra Modi along with Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik held a review meeting with officials. 

"Naveen babu ne bohat acha plan kiya (@Naveen_Odisha babu planned very well)", says PM @narendramodi, after reviewing #CycloneFani situation in #Odisha's Bhubaneswar.

Read full story: https://t.co/OB7fYlVVtu pic.twitter.com/Bn3KEs6kWE

— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) May 6, 2019

PM Modi, on Sunday, had tweeting saying that he would visit the cyclone-hit areas and had assured all help to the state. "Will be in Odisha tomorrow morning, where I will review the situation due to Cyclone Fani and hold meetings with top officials. The Centre is committed to provide all possible assistance in relief and rehabilitation measures underway," he had posted on Twitter.

The death toll in Cyclone Fani rose to 34 on Sunday, two days after the "extremely severe" storm barrelled through coastal Odisha, causing widespread destruction and leaving hundreds grappling with water shortage and power cuts. The deadly cyclone also caused minor damages to the 12th century Shree Jagannath temple in Puri while shattering a number of houses in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills and South Khasi Hills in Shillong. Though the official figure has been mounted to 34 in Odisha so far, many more are feared dead in the coastal state and elsewhere, including Meghalaya, Assam and other northeastern states.

The number of people affected by the cyclone has also jumped to around 1.08 crore in 14,835 villages spread across at least 11 districts, the official said, adding that over 13.41 lakh people had been evacuated in a span of 24 hours ahead of the disaster.

In the wake of this grievous situation, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a relief package for those affected by the calamity and said all families in Puri and parts of Khurda will get 50 kg of rice, Rs 2,000 in cash and polythene sheets, if covered under the Food Security Act (FSA). For the rest of Khurda district -- categorised as "severely" affected -- the FSA families will get a month's quota of rice, Rs 1,000 in cash and polythene sheets, he added.

Those living in the "moderately-affected" districts of Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur will be eligible for a month's quota of rice and Rs 500 in cash, Patnaik said. The chief minister also announced an assistance of Rs 95,100 for "fully-damaged" houses, Rs 52,000 for "partially-damaged" houses and Rs 3,200 for houses that had suffered minor damage.