Various states yet to utilise funds allocated by Centre for disaster relief: MHA sources

After receiving several complaints from the states like Kerala and Bihar regarding allotment of relief fund by the centre, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the Kerala government was given around Rs 3,000 crore after 2018 flood, but they have used only 900 Crore till date.

New Delhi:Various state governments are not utilising funds released by the Centre to provide relief from a natural disaster, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sources said.

According to the MHA sources, states like Kerala and Assam have not utilised funds released by the Centre.

"The Kerala government was given around Rs 3,000 crore after 2018 flood in the state. By April 2019, it was able to use only Rs 900 crore. Again after 2019 flood in Kerala, the state government asked for Rs 2,000 crore. Assam has also not utilised funds given by the Centre," MHA sources said.

"As per the procedure, if the state government fails to utilise funds allocated to it, then the Center will not release funds, till the consumption of earlier issued fund. Also, states have to utilise funds only for the purpose of relief as prescribed in the rule," an MHA official claimed.

For recent Cyclone 'Bulbul', the government of India is yet to get memorandum from the concerned state.

Last year in October, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had reviewed the ongoing rescue and relief work of all the flood-affected states.

Keeping in view the severity of the flood and the fund positions in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) account of Bihar and Karnataka, the Home Minister had approved the advance release of Rs 400 Crore to Bihar and Rs 1200 crore to Karnataka from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) 'on account basis'.

He had further approved the advance release of 2nd instalment of centre's share of SDRF amounting to Rs 213.75 crore to Bihar for the year 2019-20.