The Odisha government has formally sought ₹12,526 crore in central assistance to address the destruction wrought by Cyclone Arnab and the subsequent floods — comprising ₹2,526 crore in preliminary damage compensation and ₹10,000 crore for permanent infrastructure restoration and mitigation. Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil made the disclosure on Thursday, 5 November, following a preliminary assessment meeting in Bhubaneswar.

Central Team Reviews Cyclone Damage

An eight-member Central Inter-Ministerial Team is currently on a visit to Odisha to independently evaluate the scale of damage inflicted by Cyclone Arnab and the flooding that followed across multiple districts. The team attended a debriefing session convened by the SRC at Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, joined by the Chief Secretary and departmental secretaries.

During field visits, the central team observed widespread destruction to standing crops, as well as extensive damage to roads, power infrastructure, river embankments, and irrigation canals under the Water Resources Department. The team sought clarifications from various departments and advised state authorities to conduct comprehensive door-to-door surveys to capture the full extent of losses.

What the ₹12,526 Crore Demand Covers

SRC Patil explained that the demand is split across two heads. The ₹2,526 crore covers preliminary compensation for damage already assessed from the cyclone and associated floods. The larger ₹10,000 crore mitigation component is earmarked for rebuilding and strengthening permanent infrastructure — including damaged irrigation networks, the construction of river embankments in Aska and other vulnerable locations, and restoration of other critical facilities.

'We have sought ₹2,526 crore towards damage compensation, while another ₹10,000 crore has been demanded under the mitigation head. The latter is meant for the reconstruction and development of permanent infrastructure, including damaged irrigation and other infrastructure, as well as the construction of river embankments in Aska and other places where they are required. This is a preliminary demand. Once detailed reports are received from all the departments, a memorandum will be prepared and submitted. That will be the final memorandum,' Patil said.

Ganjam Worst-Hit; Essential Services Restored

Patil noted that three districts bore the brunt of the cyclone, with Ganjam emerging as the most severely affected. On the recovery front, essential services — including electricity, drinking water, and mobile communication — have been restored across affected areas. However, the rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure and certain other facilities will require additional time.

District Collectors informed the central team that, given the magnitude of destruction, a few more days would be needed to complete a comprehensive damage assessment. The state government is expected to submit its final memorandum to the Centre within 10–12 days, once detailed reports from all departments have been compiled.

What Comes Next

The preliminary memorandum has already been handed over to the central team, but the figures are subject to revision upward once the district-level door-to-door surveys are concluded. Industry observers and disaster management experts note that Odisha has historically been among the most cyclone-exposed states on India's eastern coastline, and the scale of infrastructure demands reflects not just immediate repair needs but a longer-term push to cyclone-proof critical assets. The Centre's response to the memorandum will be closely watched, particularly the allocation under the mitigation head, which is typically harder to secure than immediate relief funds.