New Delhi: In a move to bolster disaster preparedness and response capabilities across India, a High-Level Committee led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved ₹1,115.67 crore for various projects. This funding aims to mitigate landslide risks in 15 states and enhance the training of civil defense volunteers nationwide, a PIB press release stated.
The National Landslide Risk Mitigation project, receiving ₹1,000 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), will cover Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. The project allocation includes ₹139 crore each for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, ₹378 crore for the eight North Eastern states, ₹100 crore for Maharashtra, ₹72 crore each for Karnataka and Kerala, and ₹50 crore each for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Furthermore, the High-Level Committee, which includes the Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister, and Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, approved ₹115.67 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for training and capacity building of civil defense personnel in all states and union territories.
These approvals build upon previous initiatives by the Ministry of Home Affairs, under the guidance of Amit Shah, to strengthen India’s disaster risk reduction system. The committee had previously approved Rs 3075.65 crore for Urban Flood Risk Mitigation Projects in seven cities and Rs 150 crores for GLOF Risk Management in four states from NDMF.
This year alone, the central government has released over ₹21,476 crore to states for disaster relief and mitigation efforts. This includes significant contributions from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF), and National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF). This significant financial support underscores the government’s commitment to disaster preparedness and minimizing the impact of natural hazards on communities across the country.