The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), constituted under Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, is the primary fund available with State Governments for responses to notified disasters. The Central Government contributes 75% of SDRF allocation for general category States/UTs and 90% for special category States/UTs (NE States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir). The annual Central contribution is released in two equal installments as per the recommendation of the Finance Commission. SDRF shall be used only for meeting the expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims.

• The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) is the major fund available to states for recovery operations following registered disasters, according to Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
• For general category States and UTs: 75% of SDRF allocation is contributed by the Central Government), and for special category States and UTs (NE States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir): 90% is contributed by the Central Government.
• SDRF shall only be used to meet the costs of providing immediate relief to the victims by releasing the annual Central Contribution in two equal installments as recommended by the Finance Commission.
• Cyclones, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest assault, frost and cold waves are all covered by the SDRF.
• Local disaster: States may provide immediate relief to victims of natural disasters that local authorities consider “disasters” in their state by using up to 10% of the available funds under the SDRF and which are not on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ notified list of disasters, provided that the State Government has notified clear and transparent norms and guidelines with the approval of the state authority, i.e. the State Executive Authority (SEC).

State Government may use up to 10% of the funds available under SDRF for providing immediate relief to the victims of the natural disaster that day considered to be “Disaster” within the local contacts in the State and which is not included in the notified list of disaster of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) subject to the condition that the State Government has listed the State specific natural disaster and notified clear and transparent norms and guidelines for such disaster with the approval of the State authority i.e. State Executive Committee (SEC).