Home Minister-led HLC approves Rs 330.34 Cr for J&K

Jammu, Mar 13: A High-Level Committee (HLC) led by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday approved Rs 330.34 Cr for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, out of total Rs 1,912.99 Cr of additional central assistance to five states besides J&K, affected by floods and other natural calamities during year 2025.

This assistance is over and above the funds released by the Centre in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), already placed at the disposal of the J&K and other 5 states.

It is being provided 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).

Earlier, the Government of India, under Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) had allocated Rs 1431 Cr for J&K for flood restoration works.

Union Home Minister, during his tour to J&K following devastating floods in Jammu and other parts of J&K in 2025, had also announced the release of Rs 289.39 Cr under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) during the current financial year, 2025-26.

The HLC, under the Chairmanship of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, according to official spokesperson, on Friday approved Rs 1,912.99 Cr of additional central assistance to Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland and UT of Jammu and Kashmir affected by flood, flash flood, cloudburst, cyclone ‘Montha’ landslides during year 2025.

However, on February 3, 2026, the Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, in reply to a question of Rajiv Jasrotia of BJP, had informed the House that Rs 289.39 Cr were released during the current financial year, 2025-26, under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), besides an amount of Rs 100 Cr (Rs 5 Cr for each district) released under the UT Capex Budget (2025-26) of DMRRR under the activity “Flood relief measures” to undertake urgent flood restoration works across Jammu and Kashmir.

Choudhary, replying, on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, had said that no funds till date were released by the Government of India for flood restoration works during the current financial year 2025-26.

However, in the same breath, the Deputy Chief Minister said that based on the report of Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), the Government of India under SASCI (Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment) allocated Rs 1431 Cr for J&K for flood restoration works. His statement had evoked walkout by BJP MLAs accusing the Deputy Chief Minister of making contradictory statements.

Out of the total amount of Rs 1,912.99 Cr approved on Friday, March 13, 2026, Rs 341.48 Cr has been approved for Andhra Pradesh; Rs 15.70 Cr for Chhattisgarh; Rs 778.67 Cr for Gujarat; Rs 288.39 Cr for Himachal Pradesh; Rs 158.41 Cr for Nagaland besides Rs 330.34 Cr for UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

“This Central assistance has been provided 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). Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India is standing shoulder to shoulder with the state governments during natural calamities and disasters and providing all necessary support,” the official spokesperson said.

This additional assistance, according to the official spokesperson, is over and above the funds released by the Centre to the States in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), already placed at the disposal of the States.

During the financial year 2025-26, the central government, as per official spokesperson, has released Rs 20,735.20 Cr to 28 States under SDRF and Rs 3,628.18 Cr under NDRF to 21 States.

Additionally, Rs 5,373.20 Cr from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 23 States and Rs 1,189.56 crore from National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to 21 States has also been released.