Kerala floods: Rs 600 crore is 'advance assistance', more funds to follow, says MHA

As the political slugfest continues between the BJP, the Congress and Left parties over the central assistance being given by the Narendra Modi government to flood-ravaged Kerala, the Union home ministry has clarified that the Rs 600 crore released by the Centre is only the “advance assistance”. A spokesperson of the home ministry said that additional funds would be released from the National Disaster Response Fund based on the assessment of the damages as per laid down procedure. 

The MHA said that a detailed assessment report is still pending from the state government following which a decision to release additional funds can be taken.

“Since there was a second spell of rains in the state, the state government has stated that they will submit an additional memorandum on the fresh damages caused by floods and landslides once rescue efforts are over,” said a home ministry official.

“Since submission of additional memorandum by the state will take time, with a view to assist the state in meeting relief and rescue expenditure, the Central government has released Rs 600 crore in advance pending assessment by IMCT and decision of the high level committee,” said an official statement issued by the MHA. The ministry clarified that this was in addition to Rs 562.45 crore already made available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

The procedure to submit a fresh memorandum by the state, however, is long and time consuming.

The home ministry explained that the financial mechanism to meet the rescue and relief expenditure during any disaster event is governed by notified guidelines of the SDRF and the  National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

SDRF has been constituted in each state in which Centre contributes 75 per cent for general category states and 90 per cent for special category states of hilly regions every year as per the award of the successive finance commissions. 

“As per the guidelines, Central government provides its allocation to SDRF of each state in advance in two instalments. In case of any natural calamity, state meets the expenditure of relief and rescue from the SDRF already available at its disposal,” it said . 

However, in case of any natural calamity beyond the coping capacity of a state, the state government concerned 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, an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) is deputed by the Central government for on-the-spot assessment of damages and additional requirement of funds. 

The report of IMCT is considered by the Sub-Committee of National Executive Committee (SC-NEC) headed by the Union home secretary in conformity with the norms and then by a High Level Committee (HLC) chaired by the Union home minister for approving the quantum of additional assistance from the NDRF. 

In case of recent floods and landslides in Kerala, an interim memorandum was submitted by the state on July 21 and immediately an Inter ministerial Central team was constituted, which visited the state from August 7-12 for on-the-spot assessment of the damages. Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju visited Kerala on July 21 followed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on August 12. 

Meanwhile, the home ministry listed out the string of measures it has been taking to help the flood ravaged state and its people.  

The ministry said that in addition to the financial support, the government has made available large quantities of emergency food, water, medicines and other essential supplies, including additional allocation of food grains, as requested by the state.  

“In supplying these materials, normal rules and procedure have been set aside in view of emergency nature of the requirement in Kerala,” it said.

Following the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a number of measures have been announced from different schemes of Central government such as ex-gratia payments from PM’s National Relief Funds (PMNRF); building of damaged houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY); additional 5.5 cr person days under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS); national agencies such as NHAI, NTPC and PGCIL to assist the state in repairing national highways and restoring power, it said. 

The ministry termed the Kerala evacuation as “one of the largest rescue operations”, where the government deployed 40 helicopters, 31 aircraft, 182 teams for rescue, 18 medical teams of defence forces, 58 teams of NDRF, 7 companies of CAPFs, along with over 500 boats and necessary rescue equipment. 

Patting on its own back, it said over 60,000 human lives have been saved by rescuing them from marooned areas and shifting them to relief camps. 

“Defence aircraft and helicopters have made 1,084 sorties of duration 1,168 flying hours and airlifted 1,286 tonne of load and carried 3,332 rescuers. In addition, a number of Navy and Coast Guard ships were pressed into service to carry relief material to Kerala. The search and rescue operations and mobilisation of resources alone would cost the Central government hundreds of crore of rupees,” it said .

The MHA’s move to list out all the measures taken by the central government comes in the backdrop of criticism from the Congress and Left that the amount being disbursed by the Centre is too less and there is a need to declare the Kerala floods a national disaster. The political tussle over financial aid comes at a time when people of the state are struggling to pick up pieces of their shattered lives. The humongous task of rebuilding lives, reconstruction and battling the challenges of diseases has not even begun. The one-upmanship between the Centre and state can surely wait and focus can be moved to joint efforts keeping politics aside.