Not a paise disbursed for relief of Phailin hit people: CPI-M

NEW DELHI: CPI(M) today attacked the UPA government for not disbursing "even one paisa" towards relief and rehabilitation of the people hit by the recent severe cyclonic storm Phailin in Odisha, in spite of the Prime Minister announcing an immediate grant of Rs 1,000 crore.

A CPI(M) delegation, led by senior leaders Sitaram Yechury and Basudeb Acharia, called on President Pranab Mukherjee and urged him to asked the Centre to declare the devastation as a national disaster and get the money sanctioned soon.

"The Prime Minister had announced a grant of Rs 1,000 crore, but not even one paisa has been disbursed so far. What is strange is not even a single Central Minister has visited the state to assess the level of damage and devastation," Yechury said after the meeting.

He said the President was also reminded of his own visit to Odisha in 1999 as the Finance Minister in the aftermath of the super-cyclone, during which Mukherjee had travelled on a motorbike to the interiors of the state.

Yechury said the CPI(M) delegation, which also included party's state unit secretary Janardan Pati, are likely to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister soon.