Centre to give flood-hit Karnataka, Bihar Rs 1,813.75 crore more

New Delhi: The Centre has approved additional financial assistance of Rs 1,813.75 crore to flood-hit Karnataka and Bihar, a Home Ministry statement said on Friday. The amount has been given from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

Keeping in view the severity of flood situation and the fund positions in the State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) accounts of Bihar and Karnataka, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved advance release of Rs 400 crore and Rs 1,200 crore to both the state respectively from the NDRF "on account basis", the statement said.

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Shah also approved the advance release of the second instalment of Centre`s share of SDRF amounting to Rs 213.75 crore to Bihar for the year 2019-20. During the southwest monsoon this year, the Home Ministry said, 13 states were affected by unprecedented floods and landslide.

"In pursuance of a significant decision taken by the Home Minister in a High-Level Committee (HLC) meeting held on August 19, even before receipt of memorandum from the concerned state government for seeking additional financial assistance from NDRF, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) for these 13 states," it said.

IMCTs have so far visited 12 states and based on the interim memorandum submitted by states, interim reports have been submitted by IMCTs in respect of Bihar and Karnataka.

Karnataka and Bihar have apprised the Centre of the paucity of funds in the SDRF account resulting in a delay in providing relief assistance to the affected people and requested for release of advance additional financial assistance from the NDRF.

The statement said that the Centre has been providing full support to the state governments by mobilising and providing timely logistics and financial resources to supplement efforts of the state governments to deal with the situation effectively in the wake of floods and landslides. "The logistics support provided includes an adequate number of teams of National Disaster Response Force, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard helicopters, Army columns, Navy and Coast Guard personnel along with necessary rescue types of equipment."

As per the statement, the Centre also supplements the effort of the state government by providing assistance for the relief of immediate nature through the SDRF and NDRF as per the established procedure.

For the SDRF, the Central government contributes 75 per cent for general category states and 90 per cent for northeastern and hilly states. "The first charge of relief expenditure is on SDRF and in the cases of calamities of severe nature, it is supplemented from NDRF as per the established procedure."