Centre approves ₹1,554.99 crore in disaster relief for five states

Centre approves ?1,554.99 crore in disaster relief for five states

The High-Level Committee (HLC), chaired by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, on Wednesday, approved ₹1,554.99 crore in additional central assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for five states affected by natural disasters in 2024. This funding aims to support states that faced floods, flash floods, landslides, and cyclonic storms.

The approved assistance includes ₹608.08 crore for Andhra Pradesh, ₹170.99 crore for Nagaland, ₹255.24 crore for Odisha, ₹231.75 crore for Telangana, and ₹288.93 crore for Tripura. These funds will be provided from the NDRF, with 50% of the opening balance available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) being adjusted accordingly.

This financial aid is in addition to the funds already allocated to states through the SDRF. In the 2024-25 financial year, the central government has released ₹18,322.80 crore to 27 states through the SDRF, along with ₹4,808.30 crore from the NDRF to 18 states. Additionally, ₹2,208.55 crore has been allocated from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 14 states, and ₹719.72 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to eight states.

Following these natural calamities, the Central Government dispatched Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to assess the situation in the affected states without waiting for a formal request.