Government revises financial assistance for natural calamities

Dehradun, July 14 (UNI) The Uttarakhand government has increased the level of financial assistance paid to the victims of natural calamities from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) for the period 2005-2010.

Ex-gratia payment to the families of deceased persons had now been doubled to Rs 1 lakh from the existing amount of Rs 50,000.

Informing about the revision in assistance, Uttarakhand Disaster Management Minister Divakar Bhatt told reporters here today that ex-gratia payment in case of loss of limb or eyes had now been raised to Rs 35,000 per person in case of disability between 40 per cent to 75 per cent. In case the disability is more than 75 per cent, an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 was payable. In case of grievous injury requiring hospitalisation for a period of more than seven days, assistance of Rs 7,500 would be paid now instead of Rs 5,000.

Earlier, no assistance was paid for injuries requiring hospitalisation of less than a week. The new rules also provided for relief for the old, infirm and destitute children at the rate of Rs 20 per adult and Rs 15 per child per day. In case of clothing, utensils and other household goods getting lost or washed away, an amount of Rs 1000 per family would be paid for clothing and Rs 1000 per family for the loss of utensils or other household goods.

In addition, relief for families in dire need of immediate sustenance after a calamity would also be allowed at the rate of Rs 20 per adult and Rs 15 per child, per day. The maximum period allowed for providing relief would be 15 days. However, in case of drought or pest attack, the maximum period would be up to 60 days and, in case of severe drought or pest attack, relief would be allowed for a maximum period of 90 days. The Government could also provide assistance at the rate of Rs 2 per person per day for supplementary nutrition.

Mr Bhatt added that in case of landslides and other natural calamities, assistance to small and marginal farmers would also be allowed. This would be at the rate of Rs 6000 per hectare for desilting of agriculture land. For this, the thickness of sand or silt deposit had to be more than three inches. An amount of Rs 6,000 per hectare would be paid for removal of debris on agricultural land in the hills. In case of loss of substantial portion of land caused by landslide, avalanche or change of course of rivers, an amount of Rs 15,000 per hectare would be paid as assistance.

In case of crop loss of more than 50 per cent, the Minister said that an amount would be paid at the rate of Rs 2,000 per hectare in rainfed areas and Rs 4,000 per hectare in areas under assured irrigation. In case of perennial crops, an amount of Rs 6,000 per hectare would be paid as assistance. He said in case of loss of livestock, an assistance of Rs 10,000 for loss of buffaloes or cows per family would be payable while an amount of Rs 1000 for loss of sheep or goat would be payable per family. In case of horse or bullock, Rs 10,000 would be payable while an amount of Rs 5000 would be paid for loss of donkeys, calf or pony.

For poultry losses, assistance at the rate of Rs 30 per bird subject to a maximum of Rs 300 per household would be paid.

Assistance for repair of damaged or destroyed houses was also payable at the rate of Rs 25,000 in case of pucca houses and Rs 10,000 per house in case of kuccha houses. This amount would be payable only in case of fully damaged house. In case of severely damaged houses, the assistance would be Rs 5,000 per house for pucca house and Rs 2500 for kuchha houses. In case of partially damaged houses, an assistance of Rs 1500 per house would be payable as assistance.

Mr Bhatt on the context of state said that all the District Magistrates have been asked to identify the vulnarable areas with the help of IITs and the Geological survey. He said that Rs one crore has been disbursed to them to meet any immediate requirements in case of natural disasters. ''It is apart from 25 lakhs given to them for repair works,'' he added. Mr Bhatt claimed that fund was no constrain for tackling disasters. He said that presently the state had Rs 137 crores in Disaster management fund including Rs 98 crores recieved from the Centre and Rs 39 crores remaining from last year.

He maintained that the state government was mulling over to increase the amount proivided to the commissioners from existing Rs two lakhs.

UNI