Uttar Pradesh Seeks Expanded Disaster Relief Framework in Proposals to 16th Finance Commission
The Uttar Pradesh government has submitted a detailed set of recommendations to the 16th Finance Commission, aimed at enhancing the state’s capacity for disaster preparedness, response, and mitigation, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
A central proposal calls for a revision of the operational guidelines for the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to allow for faster and more effective relief distribution to citizens affected by natural calamities.
One of the state’s primary appeals is the inclusion of state-notified disasters—such as heatwaves, lightning strikes, unseasonal rainfall, storms, snakebites, and drownings—into the national list of recognised disasters.
Officials argue that these events have a particularly severe impact on Uttar Pradesh, citing that in the 2024–25 fiscal year alone, 4,534 fatalities occurred due to such incidents, compared to 176 deaths from disasters currently recognised at the national level.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has reportedly made personal representations to the central government, stressing the need for greater policy support to address the growing toll of such disasters.
Given the increasing frequency and severity of these events, the state has proposed a significant policy change: increasing the permissible spending cap on state-notified disasters from the current 10% to 25% of the overall disaster fund allocation.
The state has also called for greater flexibility in fund utilisation, requesting the authority to reallocate funds across different budget categories within the SDRF and SDMF. This would allow districts to make better use of unused allocations and respond more efficiently to urgent needs.
Additionally, the proposal includes a request for constructing permanent office buildings for District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) across all districts, to strengthen local disaster response infrastructure.
To improve administrative capacity, the government has urged that 1% of the total disaster fund allocation be earmarked for administrative expenses, including infrastructure development and operational support.
These proposals reflect a strategic effort by Uttar Pradesh to build a more resilient disaster management system in light of evolving climate patterns and region-specific hazards.
