Cyclone Relief Watch: Massive relief effort underway.
Centre to supply rice every month to Orissa
Pioneer News Service/New Delhi
The Centre on Saturday gave an additional allocation of 43,500 tonne rice every month till March 2000 for the affected families in cyclone-hit Orissa, besdies the Rs 100 crore grant from the National Calamity Relief Fund (NCRF) announced on Friday.
The decision was taken at the initiative of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who visited the cyclone-ravaged areas.
Mr Vajpayee assured that the Centre would ensure sustained food and fuel supply to the people in the 12 cyclone-hit districts. The additional rice, to be made available at the rate fixed for below poverty line (BPL) families, will cost the Centre Rs 114 crore. It will be distributed among all ration card holders in the affected areas at the rate of 20 kg per month.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said the Government has already sanctioned 50,000 tonne wheat at BPL rates to the Orissa government to be distributed in the form of flour.
Meanwhile, Union Rural Development Ministry has decided to release Rs 200 crore to cyclone-hit Orissa under different reconstruction and self-employment schemes.
Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Ram Naik also handed over a cheque of Rs 39.5 crore to Prime Minister as contributions from oil companies for the Orissa cyclone victims.
While the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has contributed Rs 8 crore, Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum and Gas Authority of India contributed Rs 5 crore each.
The Oil India Limited, Cochin Refineries, Madras Refineries and Engineers India limited have contributed Rs 2 crore each, while IBP, Bongaigaon Refineries and Petrochemicals and Lubrizol India Limited gave Rs 50 lakhs each.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has also sent extra supplies of 1.60 crore litres kerosene to Orissa.
More supplies of aviation turbine fuel, about 20 lakh litres, have also been arranged for use by Air Force and Army engaged in relief operations, an official release said. The Minister has assured additional supplies as and when required by the Orissa government.
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