Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI:
The Centre has earmarked Rs 60.80 crore under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to assist Meghalaya to fight all natural calamities in 2022-23.
Of the total allocated fund, Rs 54.40 crore will be central share whereas Rs 6.40 crore will be stateā€™s share under SDRF.
The SDRF constituted under Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, is the primary fund available with state governments for responses to notified disasters.
The Centre contributes 90 per cent for special category states and UTs including Northeastern states, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre contributes 75 per cent of SDRF allocation for general category states and UTs.
The annual Central contribution is released in two equal instalments as per the recommendation of the Finance Commission.
This year, incessant rain and subsequent landslides wreaked havoc in the state.Ā According to Meghalaya rainfall data what the state received in its entire year of rainfall in 2021 has been covered in about the first six months of 2022, the bulk of it occurring in months of May and June.
According to government data,Ā the recent landslides and floods caused by heavy rainfall in the state have damaged roads and bridges to the tune of nearly Rs 200 crore.Ā Earlier on June 16 and 17, over 19 people were killed due to floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Khasi-Jaintia and Garo Hills region.
From the trend observed it is estimated that heavy downpour will continue for some more weeks, if not months, which could disturb environment and crop cultivation. Sohra and Mawsynram are the wettest spots in the country and the world facing great damage to crops and property besides human lives.
