Following the 16th Finance Commission's recommendations, the Centre formally added heatwaves and lightning to the notified natural calamities list.
About the List
- Statutory Framework: Maintained under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, governing the National and State Disaster Response Funds (NDRF/SDRF).
- Notified Entries: The notified list (now 14) comprises cyclone, drought, earthquake, flood, tsunami, avalanche, cloudburst, landslide, hailstorm, fire, frost/cold wave, pest attack, heatwave, and lightning.
About the New Inclusions
- Heatwave: The IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature reaches ≥40°C in plains or ≥30°C in hills, accompanied by a ≥4.5°C departure from normal.
- 4,853 cases have been reported across the country since March, 2026.
- Lightning: A sudden atmospheric electrical discharge, among India's leading causes of weather-related fatalities.
Significance of the Inclusion
- Enhanced Funding Access: States can use the main 80% SDRF allocation for relief, bypassing the 10% limit for unlisted disasters.
- Proactive Mitigation: Unlocks the 20% State Disaster Mitigation Fund for climate resilience infrastructure.
- Policy Standardization: Creates a uniform framework for immediate relief and central support.
Mechanisms Against These Disasters
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