Lok Sabha Question No. 4591 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Utilisation of Disaster Management Fund
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4591

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28 TH  MARCH, 2023/ CHAITRA 7, 1945 (SAKA)

UTILISATION OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT FUND

4591.      SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to revise the terms and conditions for utilisation of disaster management fund and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Union Government proposes to give special assistance to State of Kerala and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has examined the utilisation of fund released to  State  of  Kerala  on  account  of  Okhi,  flood  and  Covid-19  and  if  so,  the details thereof;

(d) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that the amount fixed for compensation for loss of various farming is very less and if so, the details thereof;

(e)  the  total  amount  released  to  the  State  Government  of  Kerala  for  the management of Covid-19 and the details of expenditure incurred; and

(f)  whether  the  Union  Government  proposes  to  revise  the  guidelines  for utilisation  of  disaster  management  fund  taking  into  consideration  the views of the States and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) to (f): The primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the  State  Governments  concerned.   The  State  Governments  undertake

relief  measures  in  the  wake  of  natural  disaster  from  the  State  Disaster Response  Fund  (SDRF),  already  placed  at  their  disposal,  in  accordance with  approved  items  and  norms  of  the  Government  of  India.  Additional financial assistance is provided from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)  as  per  the  laid  down  procedure,  which  includes  an  assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).

Under  the  existing  State  Disaster  Response  Fund  (SDRF)  and  National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines, there is no provision to provide special assistance to the States. However, in view of the exigencies, the Central Government can release its share of SDRF, in advance to States. Further,  in  the  aftermath  of  a  calamity,  having  severe  impact  and  when funds  available  with  the  State  Government  are  not  found  sufficient,  the Central  Government  provides  funds  from  NDRF,  in  advance,  without waiting for the assessment of IMCT, so as to enable the State to provide immediate relief assistance to the affected people at the local level.

Further,  the  disbursal  of  funds  from  SDRF  and  NDRF  is  governed  by  the Guidelines and items & norms of assistance from SDRF/ NDRF, which are framed  in  consultation  with  all  stakeholders,  including  States.  Based  on the  recommendation  of  the  15 th   Finance  Commission,  revised  guidelines and   items &  norms  of  expenditure  of  SDRF/NDRF  were  issued  on  12 th

January, 2022 and 10 th  October, 2022, respectively, which are available on the  website  of  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  at  https://ndmindia.mha.gov.in  . Under  these  norms,  relief  assistance  in  the  form  of  agriculture  input subsidy paid to the affected farmers for crop loss of 33% and above, has also been revised.

As per the scheme of SDRF, the State Government is responsible to ensure that  money  drawn  from  the  SDRF  account  is  actually  utilized  for  the purposes for which it has been set up, only on items of expenditure and as per norms approved by the Government of India (GOI).  State Accountant General is required to monitor the expenditure, as per the items and norms of  assistance. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India audits SDRF every year in terms of the scheme of the SDRF.

As  informed by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, an amount of Rs. 870.88  crore  (Rs.  74.21  crore  from  savings  of  Department  of  Health  & Family Welfare during 2019-20 +  Rs. 622.78 crore under ECRP-I phase + Rs. 173.89 crore under ECRP-II phase) was released under National Health Mission  (NHM)  for  management  and  control  COVID-19.    ECRP  refer  to India's  Covid-19  Emergency  Response  and  Health  System  Preparedness Package.

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