Central government sent 5 NDRF teams during the disaster, apart from this 13 teams were deployed: Nityanand Rai
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• Outlay of Rs 2006.40 crore for Himachal Pradesh already approved, first instalment of central share of Rs 451.44 crore also released on 7th July, 2025
Shimla: In the wake of the calamity in Himachal Pradesh, a question raised in the Lok Sabha by former BJP state president and MP Suresh Kashyap threw light on the assistance sent by the Centre to Himachal.
Suresh Kashyap asked the Union Home Minister whether the Central Government has sent NDRF teams to Himachal Pradesh to deal with the floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall? What kind of assistance has been provided by the Central Government to the disaster affected areas of Himachal Pradesh? Have any steps been taken to predict and deal with future incidents of cloudburst? How much loss of life and property has occurred in Himachal Pradesh this year due to heavy rainfall, floods and landslides?
In response to these questions, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed that in consultation with the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) of Himachal Pradesh, 5 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were pre-deployed in Kullu, Shimla, Sirmaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur for Monsoon-2025. Apart from this, in view of floods and landslides during the current monsoon, 13 teams of NDRF have been deployed for rescue and relief operations in the state.
The Union Minister informed that the State Government of Himachal Pradesh has been allocated an amount of Rs 441.60 crore (Central share of Rs 397.60 crore + State share of Rs 44.00 crore) for the financial year 2025-2026 under SDRF, of which the first installment of Rs 198.80 crore from the Central share has been released to the State. Apart from this, the State Government of Himachal Pradesh has stated that there is an opening balance of Rs 81.10 crore available in the State’s SDRF account on April 1, 2025. Also, Rs 107.15 crore was released from NDRF for flood and landslide of the year 2024.
Further, in view of floods, flash floods and landslides during the current monsoon, the Central Government constituted an IMCT to conduct on-the-spot assessment of damages without waiting for a memorandum from the State Government. The IMCT visited the affected areas of the State from 18th to 21st July, 2025.
Further, the Central Government has issued guidelines for reconstruction and rehabilitation after severe disaster for which financial assistance can be provided from SDRF/NDRF. A Post-Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) was carried out by the Government of Himachal Pradesh assessing the need for reconstruction and redevelopment under NDRF after the 2023 floods and landslides. The Central Government has already approved an outlay of Rs 2006.40 crore for Himachal Pradesh as per the established procedure under the guidelines of Reconstruction and Reconstruction Fund. Further, the first installment of the central share of Rs 451.44 crore has also been released on July 7, 2025.
Nityanand Rai informed that in view of the increase in the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides and torrential rainfall in the state, on the directions of the Hon’ble Union Home Minister, a multi-sectoral central team of experts from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) Roorkee, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, geologists and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore has been constituted. As per the information provided by the State Government of Himachal Pradesh, till 12.08.2025, 226 lives have been lost and 2,703 livestock have been lost and 2535 houses have been damaged.
The Union Minister of State informed that as per the National Disaster Management Policy (NPDM), the primary responsibility for disaster management, including distribution of relief assistance at the ground level, rests with the respective State Governments. The State Governments undertake relief measures from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already available with them, as per the items and norms approved by the Government of India, in the wake of natural disasters. The Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments and provides the required logistics and financial support. He said that in case of disaster of ‘severe nature’, additional financial assistance is provided from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as per the prescribed procedure, which includes assessment based on the visit of Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).
