The Union Government, led by Home Minister Amit Shah, has approved the advance release of over ₹1,950 crore as the second instalment of the Central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for fiscal year 2025-26. Of this, ₹384 crore has been allocated for Karnataka and ₹1,566 crore for Maharashtra, to provide immediate relief for communities impacted by the hefty South-West monsoon rainfall and floods this year.
In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Central government remains fully committed to supporting states struck by floods, landslides and cloudbursts. This year, the Centre has already released over ₹13,603 crore to 27 states under SDRF and ₹2,189 crore to 15 states under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).In addition, more than ₹4,571 crore has been released from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 21 states and ₹372 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to nine states. The ministry also noted that 199 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed across 30 states/UTs this monsoon for rescue and relief operations.
In Maharashtra, relentless rains have wreaked havoc in recent weeks. The rivers such as the Mithi River breached danger levels, its water rose to 3.9 m, prompting evacuation of some 350 people in Mumbai alone. Elsewhere in the state, reports show that ten people died in 24 hours, and more than 11,000 were rescued as floods hit Nashik and Marathwada.
Meanwhile in Karnataka, the northern districts have been battered by flooding. As per the Indian Express, rivers including the Bhima and Doni were flowing at “extreme flooding” levels in Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgir and Vijayapura, following unusually high rainfall and dam releases, according to report
With this new fund release, the states have been empowered to immediately step up relief efforts, including compensation to affected families, rehabilitation of flood-hit areas, and boosting logistics for rescue operations. The MHA said state governments should ensure swift disbursement and transparent usage of the funds.
s the monsoon remains unsettled, authorities continue to warn of further rainfall and flooding risks. The timely approval of these funds underscores the Central government’s intent to shore up front-line disaster response during the ongoing crisis.
