The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued orders on revised norms of assistance from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Respond Fund (SDRF), with respect of the Centrally notified disasters like tsunami, earthquake, floods, cyclones, drought, hailstorm, etc.
Revised Norms
1. State governments to use upto 10% of allocation of the SDRF on equipment. On capacity building, maximum of 5% of SDRF allocation can be spent.
2. State Governments also can use upto 10% of their SDRF allocation on local disasters. In this case the State Executive Committees have to work out the criteria and modalities.
3. Norms related to various aspects of response and preparedness like ex-gratia to the kin’s in case of loss of lives, disability and livelihoods have been revised.
4. Procedure for adjustment of available balances under SDRF is simplified while releasing assistance from the NDRF in case of severe disasters.
5. Automatic annual updation of the norms by reference with the movement of wholesale price index (WPI) is also enabled.
Tidbits
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is an agency of MHA whose primary purpose is to coordinate response to natural or man-made disasters.
- NDMA was established through the Disaster Management Act enacted by the Government of India in December 2005.
- The Prime Minister is the defacto chairperson of NDMA.
- The Headquarters of NDMA is in New Delhi.
