Centre's assistance to Maharashtra, four other states hit by natural disasters

New Delhi: The High-Level Committee under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved Rs 1,682.11 crores of additional Central assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to five States and one Union Territory for floods/landslides that occurred during the year 2021.

These include Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.

Of the total Rs 1,682.11 crores of additional Central assistance, Rs. 1,664.25 crore is for five States and Rs 17.86 crore is for one Union Territory.

Of Rs 1,682.11 crores, Rs 351.43 crore will go to Andhra Pradesh, Rs 112.19 crore to Himachal Pradesh, Rs 492.39 crore to Karnataka, Rs 355.39 crore to Maharashtra, Rs 352.85 crore to Tamil Nadu, and Rs 17.86 crore to Puducherry.

"This shows the resolve of the Union Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help the people of the five states and one Union Territory who faced these natural disasters," the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

It further stated that this 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 and Rs 4,645.92 crore to 8 States from NDRF.

The Central Government had deputed Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to these States and Union Territories, immediately after the calamities, without waiting for the receipt of Memorandum from them.