Bhubaneswar, July 20 (UDN): The Odisha Government has sought financial support from the Centre to implement an ambitious project aimed at making the state’s power transmission and distribution network resilient to cyclones and other natural disasters.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has reportedly written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking intervention to facilitate funding of ₹9,755 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) for the proposed project.
The initiative is designed to strengthen Odisha’s power infrastructure, particularly in the state’s cyclone-prone coastal districts, where repeated natural disasters have caused widespread damage to electricity networks and prolonged power disruptions.
According to official sources, the project envisages modernising and disaster-proofing the transmission and distribution system through measures such as underground cabling, strengthening substations, upgrading ageing distribution lines, and adopting resilient power infrastructure capable of withstanding extreme weather events.
The proposal comes amid concerns over the vulnerability of Odisha’s electricity network. A joint assessment by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Odisha Government found that more than 30 per cent of the state’s substations are located within 20 kilometres of the coastline, while nearly 75 per cent of distribution lines were commissioned over three decades ago, making them highly susceptible to cyclone- and flood-related damage.
Over the past two decades, Odisha has been struck by several severe and extremely severe cyclones, including Fani, Amphan, Yaas, and Dana, which caused extensive damage to power infrastructure and disrupted electricity supply across large parts of the state.
Officials said strengthening the power network is essential to ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply during disasters, reducing restoration time, and safeguarding critical public services such as hospitals, water supply systems, communication networks, and emergency response operations.
The Odisha Government has urged the Centre to provide financial assistance under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund, stating that the project will significantly enhance the state’s disaster preparedness and build a climate-resilient power distribution system capable of withstanding future natural calamities.