BHUBANESWAR:  Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturady urged the Centre for expeditious consideration of additional assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for restoration and rehabilitation measures in cyclone Titli-hit districts of the State.As the Centre came in for criticism from ruling BJD and some opposition parties for the delay in approval of additional central assistance to Odisha, Pradhan spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba with a request for quick disposal of the State demand.

“Both have assured that the memorandum submitted by Odisha Government shall be given positive consideration at the earliest,” Dharmendra Pradhan said in a twitter post.Apprehensions have been raised in certain quarters on approval of additional assistance from NDRF for Odisha after consideration of demands of three States including Andhra Pradesh which was also hit by the cyclone. 

The State has sought assistance of `2,014.09 crore from the Centre.
Recently, the High-Level Committee of Home Ministry chaired by Singh had approved `3,048.39 crore for flood-affected Kerala, `539.52 crore to Andhra Pradesh and `131.16 crore for Nagaland.