State disaster Response Funds (SDRF)

• Ministry of Finance, recently released an amount of Rs. 7,532 crore to 22 State Governments for the respective State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF).
• The amount has been released as per the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

ABOUT SDRF

• The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) has been constituted in each State under Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
• The fund is the primary fund available with State Governments for responses to notified disasters.
• The Central Government contributes 75% to the SDRF in general States and 90% in North-East and Himalayan States.
• The annual Central contribution is released in two equal instalments as per the recommendation of the Finance Commission.
• The SDRF is to be used only for meeting the expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims of notified calamities like cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloud burst, pest attack and frost & cold wave.
• Allocation of SDRF funds to the States is based on multiple factors like past expenditure, area, population, and disaster risk index.
  • These factors reflect States’ institutional capacity, risk exposure, and hazard and vulnerability.