Explained: What is a notified disaster and how is the SDRF used

News:The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to treat COVID-19 as a notified disaster for the purpose of providing assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund(SDRF).

Facts:

About Disaster:

• Disaster is an extreme disruption of the functioning of a society that causes widespread human, material, or environmental losses that exceed the ability of the affected society to cope with its own resources.
• According to a High Power Committee on Disaster Management,1999 it identified 31 disasters organised into five major sub-groups namely a) water and climate related disasters b) geological related disasters c) chemical, industrial and nuclear related disasters and d) biological related disasters which includes biological disasters and epidemics.

About SDRF:

• The State Disaster Response Fund(SDRF) has been constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and is the primary fund available with state governments for responses to notified disasters.
• The Central government contributes 75% towards the SDRF allocation for general category states and UTs, and over 90% for special category states/UTs which includes northeastern states, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
• The disasters covered under the SDRF include cyclones, droughts, tsunamis, hailstorms, landslides, avalanches and pest attacks among others.