Cyclone Biparjoy costs Gujarat Rs 1,212.50 cr, says Nityanand Rai

Union Minister Nityanand Rai on Wednesday said that Cyclone 'Biparjoy' has affected 1.33 lakh hectare area and projected a total economic loss of Rs 1212.50 crore in agriculture and horticulture crops in Gujarat.

As per the memorandum received from the state government of Gujarat, a 1.33 lakh hectare area is reported to have been affected due to the cyclone 'Biparjoy', and it has projected a total economic loss of Rs 1212.50 crores in agriculture and horticulture crops in the affected areas, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Parliament Monsoon Session.

The minister shared the information while giving a written reply to a question asked by Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil.

MoS Home Rai said, "As per the National Disaster Management Policy, the primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the state governments concerned. Financial assistance is provided to the affected states by State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the management of relief necessitated by natural disasters and in the event of a disaster of a severe nature, additional financial assistance is extended from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), as per laid down procedure, which includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-ministerial central team".

"The allocation in the SDRF of the state is made towards all notified disasters including cyclones, and it is for the state government concerned to provide necessary relief to the affected farmers from SDRF already placed at their disposal in accordance with Government of India approved items and norms, in the wake of a natural disaster. Information on the quantum of the amount given to farmers is not maintained by this ministry centrally, since the execution of relief measures on the ground is the responsibility of the state government concerned", added Rai.

Further, the Minister of State for Home said that the central government had released Rs 1140 crores to Gujarat from SDRF as a central share in order to assist the cyclone-hit state.

"In order to support the affected people of the state government of Gujarat after the cyclone 'Biparjoy', the central government has released Rs 1140 crores to Gujarat from SDRF as a central share. for immediate relief operations", said Nityanand Rai.

Further, Rai informed the upper house that an amount of Rs 1159.60 crores is available in the SDRF account of the Gujarat government as on April 1, 2023.

"As reported by the State Accountant of General, an amount of Rs 1159.60 crores is available in the SDRF account of the Gujarat government as on April 1, 2023, for management of relief necessitated by the notified natural disasters, including cyclone in the affected areas during 2023-24", said the MoS for Home.

Cyclone 'Biparjoy' hit Gujarat on June 16.