Restore Section 13 on loan waivers in Disaster Management Act, CM writes to PM
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to restore Section 13 of the Disaster Management Act related to relief in loan repayment for victims of disaster.
Mr. Vijayan pointed out in the letter that the removal of this Section, which was included in the law with purely humanitarian considerations, will further distress the victims of natural disasters.
The Chief Minister wrote to the Prime Minister in the context of the Union Government informing the Kerala High Court that the law does not allow the loan waiver of the victims of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides in Wayanad district, citing the amendment made in March 2025 to the Disaster Management Act.
Section 13, which the Union government omitted as part of an amendment, reads — 'The National Authority may, in cases of disasters of severe magnitude, recommend relief in repayment of loans or for grant of fresh loans to the persons affected by disaster on such concessional terms as may be appropriate.'
'The above Section enables providing much needed financial relief to victims of disasters, who face unprecedented crisis and will have to rebuild their lives after incurring heavy losses. The said provision in the Disaster Management Act was included with a humanitarian intent and deleting the same amounts to putting the victims of natural disasters to added hardship,' wrote Mr. Vijayan.
The CM's office said in a press release that Kerala had submitted its first memorandum to the Union government on August 17, 2024, immediately after the disaster.
In addition to the memorandum, a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment was conducted and a detailed report was submitted to the Union Government on November 13, 2024.
On both these occasions, Section 13 of the Disaster Management Act was in force. However, it was only much later, March 29, 2025, that the Union Government issued a gazette notification amending the Act by deleting this Section.
This amendment does not have retrospective effect. Yet the Union government is taking the position that since the Act has been amended, it cannot provide assistance anymore, said the release.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
23 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Air India crash: Govt forms high-level committee to formulate SOPs to avert disasters
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Saturday announced the constitution of a high level, multi-disciplinary committee headed by the Union Home Secretary to ensure disasters like the Air India crash on June 12 do not happen in the future. The team will formulate SOPs for preventing such mishaps as well as the manner of handling them in the events of their occurrence. MoCA has given them a three-month deadline to complete the task. The order issued by the Ministry in the wee hours said the Committee will include representatives who are at the rank of Joint Secretary level in the State and Central governments. "The Committee will not be a substitute to other inquiries being conducted by relevant organisations but will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in future," it said. AI 171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport (London) crashed as soon as it took off, killing nearly 260 flyers.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Karnataka CM seeks higher share in central tax pool
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday pushed for a more equitable tax devolution system while urging the 16th Finance Commission to rectify what he described as a persistent imbalance in fiscal transfers from the Centre to states. 'Karnataka's fiscal strength fuels national growth. It is time to ensure that growth is not penalised but rewarded. We urge the commission to adopt a balanced, forward-looking approach to devolution,' Siddaramaiah said during a meeting with commission chairman Arvind Panagariya and members in New Delhi to present Karnataka's views through an additional memorandum. Highlighting Karnataka's contribution to the national economy, the chief minister pointed out that the state accounts for nearly 8.7% of India's GDP, despite representing only 5% of the country's population. It also ranks second in GST collections. 'For every rupee Karnataka contributes to Union taxes, it receives only 15 paise in return,' he pointed out. Citing the reduction in the state's share of tax devolution by the 15th Finance Commission — from 4.713% to 3.647%, the CM said that it resulted in a cumulative loss of over ₹80,000 crore. Karnataka's per capita devolution, he added, has fallen from 95% of the national average during the 14th Finance Commission to just 73% under the 15th, even as the state's GDP contribution rose. The 16th Finance Commission, established in December 2023, is tasked with recommending tax revenue distribution between the central government and states for 2026-31. The commission is currently conducting consultations and must submit its recommendations by October 31, 2025. Siddaramaiah was joined by economic advisor Basavaraja Rayareddy, the chief secretary, and senior officers from the finance department and the chief minister's office. In its main memorandum, Karnataka proposed increasing the states' share in vertical tax devolution to at least 50% and capping cesses and surcharges at 5%. It also recommended that Union non-tax revenues be included in the divisible pool. For horizontal devolution among states, Karnataka argued that high-performing states should retain about 60% of their contribution, with the remaining 40% directed toward less-developed states. The state also advocated reducing the weight assigned to the income-distance criterion — a metric used to determine fiscal capacity gaps — and shifting focus towards measuring each state's economic contribution. 'Equity must be implemented in a time-bound and outcome-oriented manner, without disadvantaging states that demonstrate strong economic performance and sound fiscal management,' Siddaramaiah said. The additional memorandum focused on three key areas — disparities in per capita devolution, flaws in the design of Revenue Deficit Grants, and the unpredictability of State-Specific Grants. The CM questioned the effectiveness of Revenue Deficit Grants, pointing out that 'persistent deficits in beneficiary states' raise doubts about their impact. He called for these grants to be distributed using the horizontal devolution formula instead. He also criticised the current assumptions used in determining these grants. 'Unfortunately, these assessments tend to place welfare policies on a lower pedestal compared to salaries, pensions, and administrative expenses,' he said. Referring to the state's welfare programs, Siddaramaiah said, 'Our government has been guided by Gandhiji's philosophy of Sarvodaya, emphasising welfare for all. These initiatives stimulate local demand and drive inclusive growth.' In place of discretionary grants, Karnataka proposed a formula-based allocation of 0.3% of Gross Union Receipts. However, if special grants are retained, the state reiterated its demand for support for Bengaluru and other critical projects. Seeking backing for ₹1.15 lakh crore in investments to upgrade Bengaluru's infrastructure, the CM said the capital city plays a central role in the state's economy. He also emphasized the need to address the regional imbalances in Kalyana Karnataka and Malnad, which continue to face poor infrastructure and low income levels. Concluding the presentation, Siddaramaiah asserted that equity and growth must go hand in hand. 'A strong Karnataka — supported by fair fiscal devolution — is essential for a strong India,' he told the commission.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
June 14, 1985, Forty Years Ago: PM Calls For Peace
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi made an appeal for peace and disarmament and regretted that concessional assistance for developing countries was drying up at a time when it was needed most. Gandhi voiced India's concern over the establishment of military bases in various parts of the world. 'We are directly affected by militarisation of the Indian Ocean and inflow of increasingly sophisticated arms into our neighbourhood,' she said. AT LEAST 37 people were killed and about 100 injured, 48 of them seriously, when the Bilaspur-bound Chhattisgarh Express collided with a goods train at Raja Ki Mandi station near the Agra Cantonment. Union Minister of State for Railways Madhavrao Scindia rushed to the site of the accident and also visited the hospital to see the injured. Most of the dead and injured were army personnel. SINHALESE HAVE ATTACKED some predominantly Tamil villages in eastern Sri Lanka, killing more than 40 people in 10 families. The attacks were in retaliation for a Tamil separatist attack on a Sinhalese village in the east. A reliable source in Jaffna said that Sinhalese, since then, had launched reprisal attacks on Tamil villages in and around Muttur on the east coast, killing 10 families. Thousands of people have fled their homes. THE US HAS decided to provide advanced military technology and weaponry in an effort to end the 20-year hiatus in US military sales to the world's largest democracy. The Washington Post reported that the new policy was conditional on Indian acceptance of strict safeguards. PM Rajiv Gandhi and Defence Minister P V Narasimha Rao will discuss the supply of US military technology to India with Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger and John Messey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
