Karnataka to seek ₹1,545 crore from Centre from NDRF for losses during Southwest Monsoon

The Karnataka government has decided to seek ₹1,545 crore from the Centre to take up recovery and reconstruction under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) towards losses to infrastructure during floods, heavy rains, and riverine flooding during the Southwest Monsoon across the State.

In Maharashtra

According to Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil, who spoke at the post-Cabinet briefing on Thursday, Karnataka is seeking funds for infrastructure reconstruction from the Centre for the first time. When asked if there was any precedence of other States seeking funding on similar lines, he said: “Maharashtra has received funds and several other States have also received funds. Though the actual damage of infrastructure is more than ₹5,000 crore in Karnataka, we have sought ₹1,545 crore as per the NDRF norms.”

Heavy rainfall and flooding during the monsoon in 2025 has claimed 56 human lives and 461 animal lives, while damaging 13,142 houses, including 5,091 completely damaged, the Cabinet note said. There has been a significant damage to critical infrastructure that includes 8,462 km of various roads, 2,896 schools, 164 primary health centres, 17 CHCs, and 2,017 anganwadis. As many as 208 minor tanks have been breached or damaged. In electrical infrastructure. Significant damages to 45,771 electricity poles, 2,801 transformers, and 830.8 km of electrical wires have been reported.

The note pointed to the August 14, 2024, letter of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs that has issued guidelines on the constitution and administration of the recovery and reconstruction funding window under the NDRF and the SDRF norms.

“Funding for recovery and reconstruction window from NDRF is meant to assist the State to provide additional funds in case of severe disaster where the expenditure is beyond the coping capacity,” it said, quoting from the guidelines.

The note said that the recovery and reconstruction plan has been formulated to seek financial assistance based on the ground assessment by the district administration and line departments concerned for sector-wise damage and reconstruction/repair estimates.

New software

Among other decisions, Mr. Patil said that the Cabinet has approved Cauvery IT Cell to develop a software in house for the Stamps and Registration Department, and setting up of eight technology business incubators under Karnataka Startup Policy at a cost of ₹10 crore each in Mysuru, Dharwad, Mangaluru, Shivamogga, Belagavi, Bagalkot, and Bengaluru.

The Cabinet also approved ₹23.25 crore to set up infrastructure in the newly-formed Agriculture University in V.C. Farm in Mandya, ₹34.95 crore to the Police Department to buy 241 vehicles, ₹40.12 crore to take up repair works in ports at Karwar, Old Mangaluru (Bengri and city), and Malpe under PPP model on Repair, Operate, Manage and Transfer model.