A High-Level Committee (HLC) chaired by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah has approved ₹507.37 crore for the National Project aimed at strengthening community-based Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions across 20 states.
The project, approved under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). It seeks to integrate disaster risk reduction practices into governance structures at the grassroots level through a bottom-up approach.
According to official information, the programme will cover 81 disaster-prone districts across 20 states. In addition, 20 Gram Panchayats facing major hazards will be developed as model units to serve as replicable examples for local-level disaster risk reduction and mitigation planning.
The initiative is aligned with the Centre’s objective of building a disaster-resilient India by empowering Panchayati Raj Institutions to play a proactive role in disaster preparedness, mitigation and response. It also complements ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and state governments to strengthen local governance systems.
Out of the total approved project outlay of ₹507.37 crore, ₹273.38 crore will be provided as the Central share from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund. States will contribute a commensurate share of ₹30.37 crore. An additional ₹151.47 crore will be funded by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, with corresponding state contributions amounting to ₹52.15 crore.
The project includes a range of activities focused on institutional strengthening and policy integration of disaster risk reduction into local development planning by Panchayati Raj Institutions. It also envisages capacity building and awareness generation for State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) and PRI members through information, education and communication (IEC) initiatives.
Further, the programme aims to foster coordination among various agencies involved in disaster mitigation to improve planning and execution at the local level. Officials noted that effective collaboration between administrative bodies and local institutions is critical to reducing disaster-related risks in vulnerable regions.
The approval is in addition to the financial assistance already extended by the Centre to states and Union Territories for disaster management. During the financial year 2025–26, the Central Government released ₹16,118 crore to 28 states under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and ₹2,854.18 crore to 18 states under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
Additionally, ₹5,273.60 crore has been released to 21 states from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF), while ₹1,423.06 crore has been disbursed to 14 states from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF).
Officials said the latest approval reinforces the Centre’s commitment to strengthening disaster mitigation capabilities by enabling local self-government institutions to serve as the first line of defence against natural calamities.
