Naveen Patnaik writes to Rajnath Singh; seeks relaxation in NDRF norms

BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday requested the Centre to relax the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms to take up the huge cost of restoration to the power sector infrastructure in cyclone Fani ravaged districts.
In a letter to Union home minister Rajnath Singh, Naveen said according to the existing norms, repair cost of damaged power infrastructure is given for damaged conductors, poles and transformers up to the level of 11 KV only even as transmission and distribution networks of extra high tension and high tension were damaged.
Power supply infrastructure worth around Rs 1200 crore was damaged due to the extreme severe cyclonic storm that wreaked havoc in coastal districts.
“The transmission and distribution companies are not in a position to finance these restoration works. As electricity is a necessity, the state government has undertaken restoration of power infrastructure on a war footing from its own resources,” Naveen noted.
Citing widespread damage caused to transmission network like 220 kv/132 kv towers in Puri district, the chief minister said the scale of damage to the power infrastructure is far too extensive to be taken care of by the state government alone.
Earlier, the state government had taken up the issue during its meeting with the Central team that visited the state to assess the damage caused by Fani on the ground on Wednesday.