Lok Sabha Question No. 1895 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-19
Subject: Assistance to Kerala for Flood Relief
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Anto  Antony

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF EXPENDITURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1895

Answered on December 19, 2022/ Agrahayana 28, 1944 (Saka)

'Assistance to Kerala for Flood Relief'

## 1895. SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any data regarding the assistance given to the State of Kerala for rehabilitation of people affected by floods in the years 2018 and 2019;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the assistance/funds given to the State in the said period;
- (c) whether the Government has asked the State Government of Kerala to repay the price of food grains provided to the State during flood; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

- (a)  &  (b):  Based  on  the  recommendations  of  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs,  the  Nodal Ministry  for  Disaster  Management,  the  Department  of  Expenditure  has  released  the following  funds  to  the  State  Government  of  Kerala  to  undertake  immediate  relief measures for the people affected by floods in the years 2018 and 2019:

| S.No   | Item                                                                      | Year    |   Amount (in Rs crore) |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|------------------------|
| 1      | Central share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)                      | 2018-19 |                 192.6  |
| 2      | Central share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)                      | 2019-20 |                 136.65 |
| 3      | Additional central assistance from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) | 2018-19 |                2904.85 |
|        | Total                                                                     | Total   |                3234.1  |

(c) & (d): As informed by the Department of Food and Public Distribution (D/o F&PD), an additional allocation of 89540 MT of rice was made to Kerala at Minimum Support Price  (MSP)  derived  rates  on  a  proposal  received  from  the  State  Government.  As  per extant  policy  of  Government  of  India,  any  additional  allocation  for  natural  calamity including floods is made at MSP rate for wheat and MSP derived rate for rice. However, in  pursuance  of  the  decision  taken  in  the  meeting  of  the  National  Crisis  Management Committee  held  on  19 th August  2018,  the  Food  Corporation  of  India  (FCI)  provided 89540  MT  of  rice  to  Kerala  without  insisting  on  immediate  payment  from  the  State Government. It was decided that this payment would be adjusted subsequently from the eligible  entitlement  of  the  State  Government  of  Kerala  from  SDRF/NDRF,  'on  actual basis' or other schemes including Food Security Act, etc.

Since the State Government had lifted 100% quota of 89540 MT of rice allocated for flood relief, the FCI had submitted a bill of Rs 205.81 crore for additional allocation made for flood relief, 2018. The bill has been forwarded by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the State Government of Kerala to settle the same.

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