According to Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityananda Rai, financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund is provided under a defined procedure. As per the scheme of NDRF, every state government is responsible to ensure that the expenditure incurred out of funds received under NDRF is in line with the norms approved by the central government
‘Gaza’, ‘Titli’ and ‘Bulbul’, all three are overshadowing the central government coffers. State governments are also suffering huge loss of life and property. The special thing is that the central and state governments are also constrained in front of them. No one can do anything despite wanting. They come of their own free will and do heavy damage.
There is talk of natural disasters here. All three names are associated with cyclones and hurricanes. Last year, the state government had asked for assistance of Rs 7317.48 crore to compensate for the loss due to cyclone ‘Bulbul’ in West Bengal.
In 2019 itself, the ‘Phani’ cyclonic storm in Orissa caused havoc. For this, the state government had demanded Rs 5227.61 crore, against which an amount of Rs 3114.46 crore was sanctioned as additional financial assistance under NDRF.Let us tell that during 2017-18 ‘Okhi’ cyclone came in Kerala. Due to the loss due to this, the Government of Kerala had demanded Rs 431.37 crore, while only Rs 133 crore was released from the NDRF.
The same cyclone also hit Tamil Nadu in the same year, for which an aid amount of Rs 877.01 crore was sought. The NDRF had released Rs 133.05 crore in this case.
In 2018-19, cyclone ‘Gaza’ caused havoc in Tamil Nadu. 2715.29 crore was demanded for this. 900.31 crore was released by NDRF.
The state government had asked for an amount of Rs 2751.72 crore to compensate for the damage caused by the ‘Titli’ storm in Orissa during 2018-19. NDRF sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 341.72 crore.
In 2019-20, ‘Phani’ caused significant damage in Orissa itself. Rs 5227.61 crore was demanded by the state government, in lieu of which an amount of Rs 3114.46 crore was sanctioned from the Center.
According to Nityanand Rai, Minister of State in the Union Home Ministry, financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund is provided under a defined procedure. As per the scheme of NDRF, each state government is responsible for ensuring that the expenditure incurred from funds received under NDRF is in line with the norms approved by the central government.
The Accountant General of the State is expected to monitor expenditure according to the items of assistance and the criteria. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India audits the NDRF.