Need special financial aid from Centre: State govt to HC

Kochi: The state govt on Friday contended before the high court that it requires special financial assistance from the Union govt, in addition to the routine funds allotted to the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), for the rehabilitation of victims of the devastating landslides in Wayanad.
Advocate general K Gopalakrishna Kurup made this submission in a suo motu case initiated by the high court following the landslides on July 30. Meanwhile, the Union govt, in its statement, informed the court that Rs 782.99 crore, including the central share of Rs 291.20 crore and Rs 96.80 crore as the state share, is available in the SDRF account for managing necessary relief measures. Additional Solicitor General A R L Sundareshan appeared for the Union govt and added that the state can utilize this amount to meet immediate expenses. It was further stated that once the Union govt receives a post disaster needs assessment (PDNA) report along with a detailed memorandum from the state seeking further assistance, the request would be considered as per the established procedure.
The Union govt submitted the statement based on inputs from the disaster management division of the ministry of home affairs, detailing the funds allotted to the state. The allocation clarified that the state has been allotted Rs 388 crore (Rs 291.20 crore as the central share and Rs 96.80 crore as the state share) for the year 2024-25 under the SDRF to support disaster victims. Following the landslides, the central govt released both instalments of the central share of the SDRF in advance, amounting to Rs 145.60 crore each (total Rs 291.20 crore) on July 31 and Oct 1, respectively. Additionally, the principal accountant general (A&E), Kerala, reported a balance of Rs 394.99 crores in its SDRF account as of March 31, 2024, bringing the total available amount to Rs 782.99 crore.
However, the state disaster management authority clarified that the balance amount of Rs 394.99 crore from the previous year in the SDRF account is earmarked for the payment of works undertaken during that period. Further, the state added that the Rs 388 crore allotted for the current year is a routine allocation for overall disaster management activities. The state emphasized that it requires special financial assistance from the central govt, specifically for rehabilitation efforts in Wayanad.
Consequently, the bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and V M Syam Kumar adjourned the petition to next Friday, pending the filing of replies by the state and the amicus curiae.
No provision to declare as a National Disaster, says Union govt statement
The Union govt's statement further asserted that, under the existing guidelines of the SDRF/NDRF, there is no provision to declare any calamity as a ‘National Disaster.' The primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the respective states, while the central govt provides the necessary logistics and financial support for the state's efforts.
The state submitted a memorandum on Aug 19, seeking additional assistance of Rs 214.68 crore from the central govt to provide immediate temporary relief. In cases of severe disasters, and for additional financial assistance from the NDRF for long-term measures, the state is required to form a multi-sectoral team to conduct a post disaster needs assessment (PDNA) for a detailed evaluation of recovery and reconstruction needs, the statement added.