High-level committee approves ₹3,027 crore for projects to mitigate lightning and drought

A high-level committee, under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has approved ₹3,027.86 crore for projects to mitigate disasters such as lightning and drought. The committee considered proposals of projects on lightning safety and lightning risk mitigation in 50 heavy lightning-prone districts of 10 States and catalytic assistance to 49 districts of 12 most drought-prone States for funding from National Disaster Mitigation Fund. The committee approved projects for catalytic assistance to 12 most drought-prone States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, at a total outlay of ₹2,022.16 crore, out of which the Central share will be ₹1,200 crore.l The mitigation project on lightning safety in 10 States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal was approved at a total outlay of ₹186.78 crore. The scheme for forest fire risk management was also approved for implementation in 144 high-priority districts in 19 States at a total outlay of ₹818.92 crore, out of which the Central share from NDMF and National Disaster Response Fund will be ₹690.63 crore, the Ministry said. The States of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttarakhand will submit their respective proposals undertaking necessary activities for mitigation of forest fires, preparedness for forest fire response, as well as for post-fire assessment and recovery.