Assam: Centre allocates Rs 407 crore for disaster mitigation

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The central government has allocated Rs 407.40 crore to meet expenditures for disaster mitigation in Assam under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) for two financial years, i.e., 2024-25 and 2025-26. The SDMF is provided on a 90:10 ratio, with the Centre providing 90% of the funds and the Assam government providing the other 10%.

According to sources, the Centre's allocation in the current financial year is Rs 198.80 crore, of which Rs 179 crore will come from the Centre as its share and Rs 19.80 crore will be the state share. In the next financial year of 2025-26, the allocation from the Centre is Rs 208.60 crore, of which Rs 187.80 will be the Centre's share and Rs 20.80 will be the state share.

The 15th Finance Commission, in its report, made recommendations for setting up separate mitigation funds and suggested allocations at the national and state levels. Accepting the recommendations of the Finance Commission, the Central Government has allocated Rs. 13,693 crore for the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) and Rs. 32,030.60 crore for the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26. The Central Government had constituted the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) and also advised all the state governments to set up the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF).

For the first time, the allocation of funds exclusively for the mitigation of disaster risks has been made by the government, both at the national and state levels. It will help the states carry out mitigation activities to reduce the impact of disasters.

The central government contributes 75% for all states (90% for the North-Eastern and Himalayan States) as its share of the SDMF.

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