Centre approves additional assistance of Rs 1,887 cr to five disaster-hit states

New Delhi [India]: The Central government on Wednesday approved additional assistance of Rs 1,887.23 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to five states, which were affected by natural disasters last year.

As per the official statement, a High-Level Committee (HLC) under the chairmanship of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah gave the approval to the additional Central assistance to these five states that faced floods, landslides and hailstorms in 2021.

Of the Rs 1,887.23 crore approved for five states, Rs 1,038.96 crore is allocated to Bihar, Rs 21.37 crore to Himachal Pradesh, Rs 292.51 crore to Rajasthan, Rs 59.35 crore to Sikkim and Rs 475.04 crore to West Bengal.

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.

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

During the financial year 2021-22, the Central government released Rs 17,747.20 crore to 28 states in their SDRF and Rs 6,197.98 crore to nine states from the 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 a Memorandum from them. (ANI)