High level committee approves ₹3,113 cr for 5 states as disaster relief

The committee led by Union home minister Amit Shah approved additional central assistance to the five states and UT, which were affected by floods, cyclones (Nivar and Burevi) and pest attack during 2020.

A high-level committee headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday approved around Rs 3,113 crore to five states that faced natural disasters and pest attacks in 2020.

In this file picturre, cloudy weather conditions in Kanyakumari seen ahead of Cyclone Burevi's expected landfall in December. (PTI File)

The states and union territory that will get the additional central assistance from the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Madhya Pradesh, a home ministry statement said.

The committee, under the chairmanship of the home minister, has approved the additional central assistance to the five states and UT, which were affected by floods, cyclones (Nivar and Burevi) and pest attack during 2020.

Andhra Pradesh will get ₹280.78 crore and Bihar ₹1,255.27 crore for floods during the South-West monsoon.

Tamil Nadu will get ₹63.14 crore for cyclone 'Nivar' and ₹223.77 crore for cyclone 'Burevi' -- a total ₹286.91 crore

The Union Territory of Puducherry will get ₹9.91 crore for cyclone 'Nivar'. Madhya Pradesh will get ₹1,280.18 crore for the pest attack during the Kharif season, the statement said.

The central government had deputed Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) immediately after the calamities without waiting for the receipts of memorandum from the affected state governments.

In addition, during the financial year 2020-21, till date the central government has released ₹19,036.43 crore to 28 states from the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) and ₹4,409.71 crore to 11 states from NDRMF, the statement said.