By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 21, 2016 : The Narendra Modi government at the Centre on Saturday released Rs 600.52 from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to meet the drought and water scarcity situation in Odisha.

The decision follows Odisha Chief Minister Naven Patnaik’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his South Block office in New Delhi.

Earlier, the centre had released Rs 560.25 crore as central share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for 2015-16 to the state. A further amount of Rs. 294.375 crore has been released as the first installment of SDRF for 2016-17, an official release said.

Odisha had demanded Rs 2300.45 crore to tackle drought.

The Chief Minister gave details of the measures his government has taken for drought mitigation in the state to the Prime Minister of. Informing the PM that Odisha has completed District Irrigation Plans for all 30 districts as required under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), he reiterated the state’s commitment to implement the scheme expeditiously.

Besides, the state has constructed 25,000 farm ponds, 7,000 check dams, 4,000 diversion weirs, 4,000 percolation tanks, 400 water harvesting structures and 350 community tanks, Patnaik pointed out.

During the discussion, Patnaik urged Modi to hike NREGS wage from Rs 174 to Rs 200, grant of Rs 47 crore under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit programme (AIBP) pending for the last four years and grant of Rs 156 crore under the National Project for Repair, Renovation & Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies.