Bhubaneswar, Oct 29 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced that more than Rs 2,000 crore will be spent to create disaster-resilient infrastructure in the state.
Addressing a function organised to observe the ‘Odisha Disaster Preparedness Day’ with the theme Empowering Community for Resilient Odisha Patnaik said the Government is giving priority to resilient infrastructure. More than Rs. 2,000 Crore will be spent to create disaster-resilient infrastructure. State wide risk mapping will be undertaken for various disasters, too.
Patnaik said Amendments to Panchayat Acts have been made to ensure disaster management planning at the level of Panchayati Raj Institutions. Disaster management plans will be prepared in more than 10 thousand vulnerable villages to make the communities resilient.
Every village will be prepared to counter various types of disasters,he said.
Patnaik said Red Cross will be roped in to impart training to atleast ten persons in every village on disaster management.
The Chief Minister said the Government has decided to create four regional disaster response hubs to reduce the response time to any disaster.
The regional repose hubs would be set up at Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rayagada.
He called upon all stakeholders and citizens to join hands to strengthen the disaster risk reduction initiatives and make Odisha disaster-resilient.
Patnaik said since Super Cyclone 1999, which claimed several human lives the state has made significant strides in making Odisha safer during disasters. Today, we are a model for other states and countries to follow.
The state’s efforts for effective disaster management have received wide acclaim. Odisha has been bestowed with the prestigious Nataji Subash Chandra Bose Apadaa Prabandhan Puraskar for the year 2023 by the Union Government.
The state responded quickly to the train accident at Bahanaga in Balasore in June last. All emergency services were made ready almost instantly and we could save many lives despite serious injuries. due to the immediate intervention of local communities, volunteers, PRI members and specialised responders like ODRAF, Fire Services and NDRF and of course the tireless efforts of doctors.
The Chief Minister called upon all stakeholders and the people of the state to join hands to strengthen disaster risk reduction initiatives and make Odisha disaster-resilient.
Odisha observe the Odisha Disaster Preparedness October 29 every year to remind us of the devastation of Super cyclone 1999. And to strengthen the resolve to prepare for any possible future disaster .
