Modi govt releases Rs 320 crore to Kerala as annual disaster relief fund

Over Rs 320 crore has been released by the Centre to the Kerala government as calamity relief fund during 2018-19, the Home Ministry said on Monday night.

The allocation of the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) for 2018-19 was Rs 214 crore, of which the central government's share was Rs 160.50 crore and the state government's share was Rs 53.50 crore.

The balance available in the SDRF account as on April 1 this year as reported by the state accountant general Rs 348.45 crore, a home ministry statement said.

The first instalment of the central share of the SDRF for 2018-19, released on July 20 this year was Rs 80.25 crore, while the corresponding state share was Rs 26.75 crore.

The second instalment of the central share of SDRF for 2018-19, released on August 10, 2018 was Rs 80.25 crore and the corresponding state share was Rs 26.75 crore.

The central government supplements the effort of the Kerala government by providing assistance for relief of immediate nature through the SDRF and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) as per the established procedure, the statement said.

A State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) has been constituted for each state. The central government contributes 75 per cent for general category states and 90 per cent for special category states of the assessed SDRF each year. The first charge of relief expenditure is on the SDRF and in the cases of calamities of severe nature, it is supplemented from the NDRF as per the established procedure. Financial assistance under the SDRF/NDRF in the wake of natural calamities is by way of relief and not for compensation of loss as suffered/claimed, the ministry said.

Additional expenditure, if any, incurred over and above or on other than approved items/norms, is required to be met by the states from their own resources.

In the case of notified natural calamities, as per the established procedure, the state government is required to submit a detailed memorandum indicating the sector-wise details of damage and requirement of funds for relief operations of immediate nature.

On receipt of a memorandum, an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) is deputed for an on-the-spot assessment of damages and additional requirement of funds.
The report of the IMCT is considered by the Sub-Committee of National Executive Committee (SC-NEC) headed by the Union Home Secretary and then by a High Level Committee (HLC), chaired by the Union Home minister for approving the quantum of additional assistance, from the NDRF.

In the instant case, based on a preliminary memorandum submitted by the Kerala government for additional assistance of Rs 831.10 crore the IMCT was constituted immediately on July 25 this year. The IMCT have visited flood/landslides affected areas in the state from August 7-12 this year. 

Upon receipt of report from the IMCT, it will be processed for placing before the SC-NEC and HLC for consideration, as per the established procedure.
Though enough funds are available in the SDRF, however the Union Home minister has announced release of Rs 100 crore in advance from the NDRF to help the state in providing relief measures to the affected people.

In the instant case, the central government has been providing full support to the Kerala government by mobilising/providing timely logistics and financial resources to supplement the efforts of the state government to deal with the situation effectively in the wake of floods/landslides.

The logistics support provided includes 14 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Air Force and the Coast Guard helicopters, Army columns, Navy and Coast Guard personnel along with necessary rescue equipments, the statement said. 

Earlier on Sunday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed that as per the preliminary report, the total damage due to floods in the state is estimated to be worth Rs 8316 crore.

Taking to Twitter, Vijayan said he has requested for an additional Rs 400 crore from the Home Ministry to carry out immediate relief and rehabilitation work in the state. "The impact of the disaster is likely to be felt for a long time. The Preliminary assessment indicates that nearly 20000 houses have been fully damaged and nearly 10000 km of state PWD roads damaged. The preliminary loss is around 8316 crore," he tweeted.

(With PTI inputs)