FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR NATURAL DISASTERS

The Ministry of Home Affairs outlines the financial framework for natural disaster relief under the National Policy on Disaster Management. State Governments primarily use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and, for severe disasters, the Central Government releases additional aid from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) based on Inter‑Ministerial Central Team recommendations. Annexure‑I lists reported losses from hydro‑meteorological events for 2023‑24 to 2025‑26, while Annexure‑II details state‑wise allocations and releases of SDRF and NDRF funds for the same period. Specific mitigation projects for Himachal Pradesh include the National Landslide Risk Mitigation Project (₹125 cr central share), the National Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Risk Mitigation Programme, a forest‑fire mitigation scheme (₹7.34 cr central share), and a community‑based DRR initiative (₹14.84 cr).