Bhubaneswar: The Government of India has allocated Rs 1,718 crore to Odisha under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the financial year 2026-27 to enhance disaster preparedness and ensure timely relief assistance during natural calamities.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the allocation aims to strengthen the State’s capacity to deal with emergencies caused by floods, cyclones, droughts, earthquakes and other natural disasters.
In a written reply to a question by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Rajya Sabha MP Manas Ranjan Mangaraj, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that Odisha’s SDRF allocation comprises Rs 1,288.50 crore as the Centre’s share and Rs 429.50 crore as the State Government’s contribution.
The Ministry further informed that the first instalment of Rs 644.25 crore from the Central Government’s share has already been released to Odisha.
According to the Ministry, the Odisha Government has reported an opening balance of Rs 8,219.04 crore in its SDRF account as of April 2026.
The Ministry clarified that disaster management is primarily the responsibility of State Governments, which carry out relief and rescue operations at the ground level using funds available under the SDRF.
The Centre, however, supplements the efforts of States by providing necessary financial and logistical support. Additional assistance is provided through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in cases of disasters classified as being of a “severe nature”. Such assistance is extended after a detailed assessment process, including evaluation by an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).
The SDRF serves as a crucial financial mechanism for States to respond quickly to disaster situations. Relief measures under the fund are undertaken as per the items and norms approved by the Government of India.
With Odisha frequently facing natural calamities such as cyclones and floods, the enhanced SDRF allocation is expected to strengthen preparedness, improve response mechanisms and provide timely assistance to affected communities.
