DEHRADUN: Providing comprehensive economic protection to mountain communities frequently battered by extreme weather events, the Central Government in coordination with the Uttarakhand administration has enacted a sweeping upward revision of disaster financial relief norms, doubling the ex-gratia compensation for disaster-related deaths from ₹4 lakh to ₹8 lakh per person.
The revised compensation structure, operationalised under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines for the 2026-27 financial year, follows detailed representations submitted by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Significantly, the enhanced death ex-gratia has also been extended to personnel and volunteers martyred while engaged in official rescue and relief operations.
Expressing deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Dhami emphasized that the revised norms reflect a compassionate and realistic understanding of the Himalayan state’s acute vulnerability to flash floods, cloudbursts, severe landslides, and glacial avalanches.
Under the revised relief schedule, financial assistance for permanent disability exceeding 60 percent has been raised to ₹3.20 lakh (from ₹2.5 lakh), while disability between 40 to 60 percent now attracts ₹94,000. Relief for serious injuries requiring prolonged hospitalisation has been augmented to ₹20,500 per victim, while domestic assistance for lost clothing and damaged household essentials has been doubled to ₹5,000 per impacted family.
In the agrarian sector, input subsidies for rain-fed crops have been hiked to ₹11,000 per hectare, irrigated crops to ₹22,000 per hectare, and perennial horticultural orchards to ₹30,000 per hectare (up to a two-hectare ceiling). Compensation for agricultural land permanently rendered barren by landslides and silt deposits has escalated from ₹47,000 to ₹60,000 per hectare.
Livestock owners facing catastrophic mortality will now receive ₹50,000 per large milch animal (cows, buffaloes, yaks) up to three animals per household, and ₹5,100 for small livestock including sheep and goats.
Rehabilitation grants for houses completely destroyed in hill terrain have been increased to ₹1.70 lakh per dwelling (and ₹1.60 lakh in plains), alongside scaled-up relief for partially collapsed structures, animal sheds, and artisan equipment. Crucially, the Centre has augmented funding quotas for emergency restoration of damaged highways, rural drinking water grids, power sub-stations, and school buildings.
Published by True Roots Media