New Delhi, Apr 5 (UNI) A high-level committee, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Saturday approved Rs1280.35 crore of additional Central assistance to Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, affected by natural disasters in 2024.

According to a Home Ministry statement, the committee approved the central assistance of Rs1247.29 crore to three states from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), subject to an adjustment of 50 percent of the opening balance for the year available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs 33.06 crore to one Union Territory.

Out of Rs1280.35 crore, Rs 588.73 crore has been approved for Bihar, Rs 136.22 crore for Himachal Pradesh, Rs 522.34 crore for Tamil Nadu and Rs 33.06 crore for Puducherry.

This additional assistance is over and above the funds released by the Centre to the states in the SDRF and Union Territorial Disaster Response Fund (UTDRF), already placed at the disposal of the States and UT.

During the financial year 2024-25, the Central Government has released Rs 20,264.40 crore to 28 states under SDRF and Rs 5,160.76 crore under NDRF to 19 states. Moreover, Rs 4984.25 crore from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 19 states and Rs 719.72 crore from National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to eight states has also been released.

The central government had deputed Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to these states, immediately after the calamities, without waiting for the receipt of a formal memorandum, the statement said.

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