Centre okays Rs 507.37 crore project to enhance disaster risk reduction at Panchayat level

NEW DELHI: The High-Level Committee, headed by Union Home minister Amit Shah has approved a Rs 507.37 crore National Project to strengthen community-based Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) efforts through Panchayati Raj Institutions in 20 states.

The proposed scheme, which will be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), is a major escalation of the disaster management framework in India, as it is being implemented at the grass-roots level. The scheme has been initiated as part of the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), which was introduced in 2021.

The scheme would be implemented over 81 disaster-affected districts in 20 states and would also form 20 Gram Panchayats dedicated to major hazards on model patterns. These model Panchayats are hoped to embody a standard example for enhancing disaster risk reduction at the grassroots level. The scheme would aid and abet the present initiatives of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and other state administrations in bolstering the capabilities of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in managing crises.

Out of the total approved expenditure, the government will allocate Rs 273.38 crore as the share from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund, along with the contribution from the state, which is Rs 30.37 crore. There will also be an allocation of Rs 151.47 crore, along with the contribution of the state, which is Rs 52.15 crore, from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

The thematic area of this project will be institutional strengthening and integration of DRR into development planning through Panchayati Raj Institutions. Capacity building, awareness generation of State and District level DDMA members, and other PRI members through IEC, as well as development of inter-institutional networks for disaster mitigation at the local level, will be major elements of this project.

This support is apart from the already released amounts under the State Disaster Response Fund.

In financial year 2025-26, a total of Rs 16,118 crores has been released to 28 states for support under the State Disaster Response Fund and National Disaster Response Fund, and an additional Rs 2,854.18 crores has been released to 18 states under the National Disaster Response Fund.