Govt releases additional Rs 3,063 crore to 6 states hit by floods, landslides, cyclones

New Delhi, Dec 30: A high-level committee, headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has approved additional central assistance of Rs 3,063.21 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to six states hit by floods, landslides and cyclones in 2021.

A home ministry statement said among the funds approved include Rs 1,133.35 crore to Gujarat, which was affected by cyclone 'Tauktae', and Rs 586.59 crore to West Bengal, which was affected by cyclone 'Yaas'. This shows the resolve of the union government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help the people of the six states who faced these natural disasters, the statement said.

Apart from Gujarat and West Bengal, flood-hit Assam received Rs 51.53 crore. Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, all affected by floods and landslides during South-West monsoon, received Rs 504.06 crore, Rs 600.50 crore and Rs 187.18 crore respectively.

The additional assistance is over and above the funds released by the Centre to the states in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), already placed at the disposal of the states. During the financial year 2021-22, the central government has released Rs 17,747.20 crore to 28 states in their SDRF. Further Rs 3,543.54 crore has been released to seven states from the NDRF.

In the aftermath of cyclone 'Taukte' and 'Yaas', Rs 1,000 crore was released in advance from the NDRF to Gujarat on May 10, and Rs 300 crore to West Bengal on May 19, 2021. During the year 2021-22, the central government had deputed 22 Inter-Ministerial Central Teams immediately after natural calamities, without waiting for the receipt of a memorandum from the affected state governments for speedy disposal of funds to states, the statement said. PTI