The Central government on Thursday clarified that the ₹600 crore fund released for relief works in flood-hit Kerala was only the advance assistance and that additional funds would be released from the National Disaster Response Fund on assessment of damages.
The advance sum was in addition to ₹562.45 crore already made available in the State Disaster Response Fund, said the Centre.
In one of the largest ever rescue operations, Central forces have rescued more than 60,000 persons from marooned areas and shifted them to relief camps in Kerala. A total of 40 helicopters, 31 aircraft, 182 teams for rescue, 18 medical teams, 58 teams of the NDRF and seven companies of the Central forces were pressed into service.
Defence aircraft and helicopters have made 1,084 sorties of 1,168 flying hours and airlifted 1,286 tonnes of load and carried 3,332 rescuers. In addition, a number of Navy and Coast Guard ships were employed for carrying relief material.
“The search and rescue operations and mobilisation of resources alone would cost the Central government hundreds of crores of rupees,” said a release.
The situation has been monitored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on daily basis. He visited the State on August 17-18.
The government said the financial mechanism to meet the rescue and relief expenditure was governed by notified guidelines on the SDRF and the NDRF. In the SDRF, every year, the Centre contributes 75% for general category States and 90% for special category States of hilly regions.
If the natural calamity is beyond the coping capacity of a State, the concerned State government submits a detailed memorandum indicating the sector-wise details of damages and requirement of funds for relief operations of immediate nature. On receipt of a memorandum, the IMCT conducts on-the-spot assessment of damages to see if there is any additional requirement of funds.
Its report is considered by the Sub-Committee of National Executive Committee headed by the Union Home Secretary and then by a High Level Committee chaired by the Union Home Minister for approving additional assistance from the NDRF.
For the floods and landslides in Kerala, the State submitted an interim memorandum on July 21. An IMCT was in the State from August 7 to 12 to assess the damages. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited the State.
Owing to a second spell of floods, the State government has said that it will submit an additional memorandum on the fresh damages once rescue efforts are over.
In addition to the financial support, the Centre has made available large quantities of emergency food, water, medicines and other essential supplies. After the Prime Minister’s visit, a number of measures have been announced under various Central government schemes.
They include ex gratia payments from PM’s National Relief Funds; building of damaged houses under the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana; and additional 5.5 crore person days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. National agencies such as NHAI, NTPC and PGCIL will assist the State in repairing national highways and other infrastructure works.