Tamil Nadu Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran on Tuesday requested the Union government for relaxing norms for “releasing the funds” for disaster mitigation and also sought for some modifications in the existing norms.
Speaking in the meeting of the All State Disaster Management Ministers chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday, Mr. Ramachandran requested for issuing the technical guidelines for utilisation of funds under State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) and National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) constituted based on the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, immediately.
“The overall responsibility of disaster management rests with the State government and hence the operational procedures / guidelines for implementation of projects should be adequate to fulfill the needs of the state,” he contended.
Pointing out that funds required for mitigation works of the State would be made available under NDMF only after exhausting the funds available under SDMF as per the guidelines, the Minister further requested that they be modified and funds be released under NDMF to the State government on approval of the projects by the State.
Mr. Ramachandran further requested for issuing guidelines for special projects namely drought, lightning and thunder mitigation, modernisation of Fire and Rescue Services soon and that the project proposals under these special projects shall be approved by the Government of India for its expeditious implementation.
Flagging the limitations under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the Minister pointed out that funding windows of SDRF and SDMF were not interchangeable. “There could be a flexibility re-allocation within the sub windows of the respective funds and such re-allocation shall not exceed 10% of the total allocation of that sub window.”
As not more than 50% of the SDMF would be utilised for measures / projects to mitigate risks from a single hazard in a year, the Minister requested for relaxing the stipulation by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the recommendations of Sub Committee of National Executive Committee based on the written request of the State with proper justification.
“As Tamil Nadu is prone to multiple hazards the condition that the permission of the Government of India for allocation of more than 50% of SDMF for a single hazard shall be relaxed. Provision shall be made to utilise funds for recovery and reconstruction from other funding windows of the SDRF namely relief & response, preparedness and capacity building as the allocation for recovery and reconstruction is only limited”, the Minister said.
