Govt. seeks RBI help to ensure relief payments

OST Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Oct 11:
The Odisha government has sought the intervention of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for facilitating government payments towards relief expenditure in view of the severe cyclonic storm ‘Phailin’ hitting Odisha coast on Saturday.
In his letter to the regional director RBI, Aaditional chief secretary, Finance UN Behera said; “Treasuries of all the cyclone prone districts will remain open during the Puja holidays to facilitate processing of bills relating to emergent relief expenditure. You are therefore requested to issue suitable instructions to the agency banks transacting government business to be in preparedness to carry out government payments relating to relief expenditure from October 12-14 and on other holidays, if any, to ensure unhindered flow of funds for relief activities.”
The Finance department has directed the engineer-in-chief (electrical) to ensure uninterrupted power supply to treasuries as well as the directorate of treasuries, since treasuries will remain open to facilitate government payments
The state government, while sounding high alert in 21 districts identified as vulnerable to the impending storm, has already cancelled Puja holidays for its employees.