The Centre on Wednesday sanctioned Rs 918.30 crore as flood assistance to Odisha. It also agreed to bear the expenses incurred towards air-dropping of food materials by helicopters during relief operations in the state. A total of Rs 908.30 crore has been sanctioned from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and Rs 10 crore from National Rural Drinking Water Scheme. This is the maximum assistance from the Centre in the history of flood assistance to Odisha. The Odisha Government had sought an assistance of Rs 3,265 crore from the Centre for relief, rescue and restoration activities in 21 flood affected districts of the 30 districts in the state. Odisha had witnessed two spells of floods in last September due to depression induced heavy rainfall at upper catchment areas of river Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani and other major rivers. Besides a large number of live stocks, at least 87 persons were killed in the calamity and a large number of houses were damaged in the twin floods.Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said that the UPA Government has sanctioned the amount keeping an eye on the ensuing panchayat polls in the state during February next year. He said rehabilitation and restoration work in the flood-hit areas have already been started by the state government even before sanctioning of the Central assistance. Patnaik also said the Central assistance will be utilised for carrying out rehabilitation and restoration work in a much better way.