Bhubaneswar/Berhampur: Odisha govt on Friday intensified relief and restoration operations in flood-ravaged Ganjam, the district worst hit by torrential rain in the aftermath of Cyclone Arnab, releasing an additional Rs 20 crore, deploying 30 officials and air-dropping relief materials at 21 locations.Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi and revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas in Ganjam and Gajapati, two days after Arnab made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast and triggered extremely heavy rain across south Odisha.Majhi said protecting the lives and property of people was the govt’s “utmost priority”. The administration was working round the clock to ensure supply of food, drinking water and emergency healthcare to affected people, he added.Pujari said nearly 43,000 people across 242 gram panchayats have been affected in Ganjam. Special relief commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said damage assessment was under way.Earlier, govt had released Rs 5 crore to the district before the cyclone made landfall. It has now temporarily deployed 30 OAS and ORS officers to coordinate and supervise relief and restoration work.Instructions have been issued to expedite rescue and relief operations, restore damaged roads and bridges, and electricity supply, and address post-flood health concerns.Pujari said four helicopters were being used to air-drop food packets and other relief materials at locations that remained difficult to access due to flooding.Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu spoke to Majhi on the phone and inquired about the situation in Odisha. The chief minister briefed her on the impact of the disaster and ongoing rescue, relief and restoration operations. Chief Minister’s Office said Murmu expressed concern over the situation and assured support.