Lok Sabha Question No. 1 (STARRED), answered on 2021-02-02
Subject: Loss due to Cyclone `Amphan`
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Bhola Singh, Vinod Kumar Sonkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *1

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 02 ND  FEBRUARY, 2021/ MAGHA 13, 1942 (SAKA) LOSS DUE TO CYCLONE 'AMPHAN'

*1. SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a severe cyclone 'Amphan' had badly affected the country and if so, the details of losses suffered, State-wise;
- (b)  the  details  of  relief  sought  by  the  affected  States  and  the  assistance provided to the farmers and fishermen by the Government, State-wise;
- (c)  whether there have been slow progress in utilization of funds by these State Governments for restoration of infrastructure and rehabilitation work;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the remedial action taken thereon;
- (e)  whether  there  is  urgent  need  for  building  a  resilient  infrastructure  to mitigate recurrent cyclone risk in these States; and
- (f)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  other  steps  being  taken  by  the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) to (f) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement  in  reply  to  the  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  *1  dated  2 nd February, 2021

(a):  Yes sir.  A super cyclonic storm 'Amphan' hit the eastern coast of the country  on  20 th   May,  2020  affecting  two  States  namely  Odisha  and  West Bengal. As per the information received from the affected State Governments and assessed by the Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs), details of reported losses/ damages are inter-alia given as under:-

| State                          |   Human lives lost |   Houses/ huts damaged (in lakh) |   Cattle lost |   Cropped area affected (in lakh ha.) | Fishermen's Boats & nets damaged   |
|--------------------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------|---------------|---------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| Odisha - Cyclone 'Amphan'      |                  0 |                             0.49 |            38 |                                  0.11 | 28 boats                           |
| West Bengal - Cyclone 'Amphan' |                 99 |                             5.52 |         23927 |                                  5.71 | 8007 boats & 37711 nets            |

(b): In  the  instant  cases,  in  order  to  support  the  affected  people  of  the States, Central Government  immediately released Rs. 1000 crore to Government of West Bengal and Rs. 500 crore to Government of Odisha 'on account  basis'  from  National  Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) on 23rd May

## LS.S.Q.NO. 1 FOR 02.02.2021

2020. Further even before the receipt of memoranda from State Governments  of  West  Bengal  and  Odisha,  two  separate  IMCTs  were constituted, which visited the affected areas of the States concerned for on the spot assessment of damages.

The Governments of West Bengal and Odisha had requested an assistance of  Rs.  35,018.39  crore  and  Rs.  201.96  crore  respectively  for  relief  and rehabilitation work for damages due to cyclone, including relief to farmers and fishermen.  Based on the report of IMCT and recommendations of SubCommittee  for  National  Executive  Committee  (SC-NEC),  the  High  Level Committee  (HLC)  had  approved  an  amount  of  Rs.  2,707.77  crore  to  West Bengal  (including  Rs.  665.94  crore  for  Agriculture  and  73.29  crore  for fisheries sector) and Rs. 128.23 crore (including Rs. 4.64 crore for Agriculture and 0.01 crore for fisheries sector) to Odisha from NDRF, subject to the adjustment of 50% of balance available in their SDRF account.

(c) and (d):   As per guidelines for utilization of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)/National Disaster  Response  Fund  (NDRF),  the State Executive Committee (SEC), headed by the Chief Secretary of the State concerned, is responsible for incurring and monitoring the expenditure from SDRF/NDRF in

## LS.S.Q.NO. 1 FOR 02.02.2021

the  affected  area  as  per  items  and  norms.  Further,  the  Guidelines  on Constitution  and  Administration  of  the  SDRF  provides  for  submission  of specific utilization certificate by the State Government within three months of  the  close  of  financial  year  in  which  additional  financial  assistance  is granted from NDRF.

(e) and (f): National  Cyclone  Risk  Mitigation  Project  (NCRMP)  envisages creation of  major infrastructure like multipurpose cyclone shelters, access roads, saline embankments etc. as well as installation and commissioning of  early warning system in eight coastal States, including West Bengal and Odisha.  Completed projects under this scheme have proved to be of great help during cyclones.

The measures taken by the Central and State Governments have significantly improved disaster management practices, preparedness, prevention  and  response  mechanism  resulting  in  significant  reduction  in casualties  during  natural  calamities,  including  cyclones,  in  the  country. Further,  strengthening  of  the  disaster  management  is  a  continuing  and evolving process of the governance.

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