New Delhi, Dec 30 : The High Level Committee (HLC), under the Chairmanship of the Home Minister Amit Shah, has approved additional Central assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), to six States, which were affected by floods, landslides and cyclones during 2021.

The HLC approved additional Central assistance of Rs. 3,063.21 crore from the NDRF.

For Cyclone ‘Tauktae’- 2021, Rs.1,133.35 crore has been approved for Gujarat, for Cyclone ‘Yaas’- 2021, Rs.586.59 crore was approved for West Bengal, and for floods and landslides during the South West Monsoon, 2021, Rs. 51.53 crore was approved for Assam, Rs. 504.06 Crore for Karnataka, Rs. 600.50 crore for Madhya Pradesh and Rs. 187.18 crore for Uttarakhand.

This additional assistance is over and above the funds released by the Centre to the States in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), already placed at the disposal of the States. During the financial year 2021-22, the Central Government has released Rs. 17,747.20 crore to 28 States in their SDRF. Further Rs. 3,543.54 Crore has been released to 7 States from NDRF.

In the aftermath of Cyclone ‘Taukte’ and ‘Yaas’, Rs. 1,000 crore was released in advance from NDRF to Gujarat on 20.05.2021and Rs. 300 crore to West Bengal on 29.05.2021.

During the year 2021-22, the Central Government had deputed 22 Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) immediately after natural calamities, without waiting for the receipt of a Memorandum from the affected State Governments.(UNI)