New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs has set up Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to evaluate the extent of damage caused by heavy rainfall, flash floods, landslides and cloudbursts in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
Officials said that each team will be headed by an officer of Joint Secretary rank from the Ministry of Home Affairs or the National Disaster Management Authority. The groups will also include members drawn from the departments of Expenditure, Agriculture And Farmers’ Welfare, Jal Shakti, Power, Road Transport And Highways, as well as Rural Development.
The teams are expected to carry out field visits to the affected districts and examine relief measures already in place by the state and Union Territory administrations. The findings will form the basis for further financial support from the Centre.
The decision follows a mechanism introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah in 2019, which requires the constitution of these multi-ministerial teams immediately after a major disaster, rather than waiting for a detailed memorandum from the affected states.
An official release from the Home Ministry noted that the Centre has transferred significant amounts under various disaster relief and mitigation funds during the current financial year. Figures show that Rs 10,498.80 crore has been released under the State Disaster Response Fund to 24 states.
In addition, Rs 1,988.91 crore was sanctioned from the National Disaster Response Fund for 12 states.
Under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund, Rs 3,274.90 crore has been distributed among 20 states, while Rs 372.09 crore has been disbursed from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund to nine states.
The Home Ministry said these allocations are intended to strengthen state-level capacity in handling relief, rehabilitation and mitigation work during the monsoon season, when extreme weather often leads to large-scale damage.
In Jammu and Kashmir, more than 150 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents since early August, with a significant number of casualties reported among pilgrims in different parts of the Union Territory. Search and rescue operations are still under way in several districts.
Officials stated that the IMCTs would visit Jammu and Kashmir and other affected states early next week to prepare detailed assessments. Their reports will guide further central intervention and allocation of resources for recovery efforts
