Datanomics: Share of flood spending declines in vulnerable states

India's disaster count has risen over three decades, while storms are gaining pace and spending on flood and irrigation management in vulnerable states is falling

The world is facing difficult ecological times, with Nepal reeling from heavy floods and India’s Assam enduring weeks of continuous flooding, although the situation has now abated. India recorded 46 disasters between 1991 and 1995, which rose to 75 incidents during 2021-2025. India’s share of global disasters has remained between 3.5 per cent and 4.3 per cent. Fatalities, however, have fluctuated: from 53,440 in 1991-1995 to 234,542 in 2001-2005, before declining to 37,431 in 2021-2025. Floods account for the highest share of disasters in India, though their incidence has declined in the past decade. In contrast, storms have gathered pace and become the close second in disasters. Expenditures reflect shifting priorities. The share of flood and irrigation expenditure in the total expenditure of flood-prone states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and West Bengal, has been lower than the all-India/UTs expenditure share, and it has been falling in last two decades.