Union Home Minister approves release of Rs 7,274 crore to 23 states as central share of SDRF

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 1

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday said the Centre had released the second instalment of the central share of the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) amounting to Rs 7,274.4 crore in advance to 23 states to enable state governments to have sufficient funds to pay the ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 50,000 to each of the Covid victims.

In an official statement, the MHA said, “Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved release of the second instalment of the central share of the SDRF amounting to Rs 7,274.4 crore, in advance, to 23 states. Five states have already received in advance the second instalment amounting to Rs 1,599.2 crore.”

It said that with the release of the fund the states “will now have an amount of Rs 23,186.4 crore in their SDRF, including their own share for the financial year 2021-22, in addition to the amount of opening balance available in their respective SDRF to meet the expenses for granting ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased due to Covid and for providing relief on other notified calamities”.

A senior MHA official said the government had issued an order on September 25 revising the items and norms of assistance under the SDRF and making therein a provision for grant of ex-gratia payment to the next of kin of the deceased due to Covid.

“This enabling provision in SDRF norms has been made so as to implement the guidelines issued by National Disaster Management Authority on September 11 in compliance with the order passed by the Supreme Court on June 30.”