NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday approved over Rs 1,600 crore for four states — Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Manipur — as compensation for the natural calamities faced by them last year. The decision was taken at by a high-level commitee chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
The committee approved the additional central assistance of Rs 1,604.15 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Rs 1,206.62 crore would be allocated for tackling drought in Rajasthan, Jharkhand would receive Rs 272.42 crore for drought relief effort, Andhra Pradesh would be allocated R82.65 crore for mobilising relief for those affected by cyclonic storm ‘Phetai’ and Manipur would receive Rs 42.46 crore for extending assistance to those hit by floods and landslides, a statement issued by the MHA said.
The meeting, chaired by the Home Minister, was held to consider the additional central assistance to these four states, which were badly affected by floods, landslides, cyclone and drought (kharif) in 2018-19. Besides Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and senior officials of MHA, Finance, Agriculture and NITI Aayog were also present at the meeting.