Lok Sabha Question No. 4452 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Natural Disaster Relief
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Debasree Chaudhuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4452

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

NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF

4452.      MS. DEBASREE CHAUDHURI:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has made any changes in the criteria relating to natural disaster relief and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  allow  the  disaster  affected persons to receive assistance at district level in a time-bound manner as per the prevalent procedure and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to provide any ''special assistance'' as per immediate requirement in the matter of such urgent cases; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): The primary  responsibility  for  disaster  management,  including disbursal of relief to the affected people on the ground level, rests with the State Governments.  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).

The release of funds from SDRF/NDRF and expenditure therefrom are governed  by  the  'Guidelines  on  constitution  and  administration  of  SDRF/ NDRF' and items and norms issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), from time to time. The funds in SDRF are contributed by the Central Government and State Governments in the ratio of 75:25  for  general  category  states and 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan States to undertake the relief measures in the wake of natural disasters.

The 15th Finance Commission (FC) had adopted a new methodology for state- wise allocations of funds, which replaces the expenditure driven methodology.  The  new  methodology  is  a  combination  of  capacity  (as reflected  through  expenditure),  risk  exposure  (area  and  population)  and hazard and vulnerably (risk  index).  In  a  major  departure  from  the  earlier Finance Commissions, the 15th FC had recommended two funds with the nomenclature  of  State  Disaster  Risk  Management  Fund  (SDRMF)  and National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF).  SDRMF will consist of two components viz. SDRF and State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) with the  allocation  in  the  proportion  of  80%  and  20%  respectively.  Similarly, NDRMF will also have two components namely NDRF and National Disaster Mitigation    Fund    (NDMF)   with    allocation   in   the   same   proportion.

The  Commission  had  also  recommended  that,  within  the  SDRF/NDRF allocations of 80%, there would be three sub-allocations namely, Response and  Relief  (40%),  Recovery  and  Reconstruction  (30%)  and  Preparedness and Capacity Building (10%). As such, SDRMF and NDRMF will cover the entire cycle of disaster management -prevention, preparedness, response, mitigation, recovery and reconstruction. Based on the recommendations 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 .

With regard to special assistance, under the prevailing guideline of SDRF/  NDRF,  there  is  no  provision  to  provide  any  special  assistance  for immediate requirement.  However,  in  view  of  the  exigencies,  the  Central Government can release its share of SDRF, in advance to States in order to facilitate them to provide assistance to disaster affected people. 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.

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