NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs has officially included heatwaves and lightning in the list of notified natural calamities eligible for national and state funds for the next five years after recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission.
This means that heatwaves and lightning will now be recognised as natural calamities under the Operational Guidelines for the Administration of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for the period of 2026-2031.
Earlier, the Centre treated heatwaves as a local phenomenon to be addressed by the state governments.
So far this year, there have been 4,853 reported cases of heat stroke and 20 deaths, with the majority occurring in Maharashtra, as of July 26, 2026.
Previously, heatwaves were not included in the Disaster Management Act's list of notified disasters, which only covered 12 categories -- cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, and frost or cold wave.
As a result, states were limited to drawing only up to 10% of their annual SDRF allocation for heatwave relief under the restrictive "local disaster" provision. This arrangement was widely seen as inadequate, given the increasing frequency, intensity, impacts, and death toll associated with heatwaves across India.
The 16th Finance Commission, headed by Dr Arvind Panagariya, submitted its report to the Government of India in February this year, recommending the inclusion of heatwaves and lightning in the list of notified natural calamities due to the rising frequency and intensity of extreme weather events driven by climate change.
In a written response in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai acknowledged the occurrence of heatwave conditions across various parts of the country and their associated health impacts.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is implementing heat-health interventions through the National Programme on Climate Change & Human Health (NPCCHH) in accordance with the National Action Plan on Heat-Related Illness (NAPHRI).
Additionally, the National Heat-Related Illness and Death Surveillance (NHRIDS) has been activated for over 51,000 reporting units across the country, which includes all Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and higher-level hospitals.
Greenpeace India has advocated for legally mandated funding to address the health impacts of heatwaves and for the implementation of Heat Action Plans. They also emphasise the need for stronger social protection for informal and outdoor workers through heat risk insurance and compensation for income loss.
“Unlocking disaster funds is a significant victory, but it’s crucial that the money reaches the individuals who are collapsing on the pavement,” said Aakiz Farooq, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace India.
