Kerala sees Centre’s new norms for disaster relief aid as inadequate

At a time when there is an increase in the frequency of disasters striking the country, especially in Kerala since the 2018 floods, the new guidelines for financial assistance issued by the Centre for disaster relief measures are deemed ‘still inadequate’ by Kerala.

The Union Home Ministry recently released the new norms for availing of assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDFR) for the period 2022-23 to 2025-26.

As per this, the ex gratia payment to families of deceased persons has been unchanged, at ₹4 lakh per deceased person, including for those involved in relief operations or associated with preparedness activities. Kerala has been demanding ₹10 lakh per person for victims of disasters.

The ex gratia payment for loss of a limb or eye(s) has been increased to ₹74,000 per person, when disability is between 40% and 60%, from the previous ₹59,100 per person. Similarly, the assistance has been increased to ₹2.5 lakh per person when the disability is more than 60% from the previous ₹2 lakh. However, the State has been demanding ₹1 lakh and ₹5 lakh for people with disability of 40%-60% and more than 60% respectively.

In the case of people who have lost houses due to disasters, the new guidelines have fixed ₹1,20,000 per house in plain areas and ₹1,30,000 per house in hilly areas after dividing the houses into two main categories of pucca and kutcha. Whereas, the State is of the view that ₹6 lakh should be given without any such distinctions.

In the case of poultry, the new guidelines have increased the aid to ₹100 per bird subject to a ceiling of ₹10,000 per beneficiary household with a condition that the death of the birds should be on account of a natural calamity. Further, relief under the new norms is not eligible if the assistance is available from any other government scheme such as for loss of birds due to avian influenza or other diseases for which the Department of Animal Husbandry has a separate scheme for compensating poultry owners.

However, sources in the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said at least ₹200 should be given per bird with an assistance ceiling of ₹50,000 per beneficiary household.

Similarly, the norms fixed for availing of aid for various categories in times of disasters are still ‘not adequate’, according to the State.

At the same time, the decision to hike the gratuitous relief for families whose livelihood is seriously affected to the same level of wages of workers given under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) would be a breather for the affected, said the KSDMA sources.