The Tamil Nadu government has set up the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) for undertaking projects that are exclusively for the purpose of disaster mitigation. This fund is different from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The SDMF has been constituted under Section 48 (1)(c) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, while the existing SRDF was constituted under Section 48 (1)(a) of the Act.
A senior official told The Hindu that the SDMF would be for projects before natural disasters occur, while funds from the SDRF are for meeting the expenses over eventualities after disasters hit.
The guidelines on the constitution and administration of Tamil Nadu State Disaster Mitigation Fund would be issued separately. The SDMF is expected to support mitigation projects that are identified in the State Disaster Management Plan or for implementing mitigation projects that emerge out of a situation.
Even before the Disaster Management Act, 2005 was enacted, the Tamil Nadu government in July 2003, constituted the State Disaster Management Authority with Chief Secretary as its Chairperson to ensure coordinated steps towards mitigation, preparedness and coordinated response.
After the Union government enacted the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in December, which mandated the Chief Minister of the State as the Chairperson of the respective SDMA, it was re-constituted in September 2008.
According to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, floods were reported in various parts of the State in 1977, 1985, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2015. Cyclones hit parts of the State in 1977, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2000, 2008, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020. Tsunami hit coastal districts in 2004. Drought hit various parts of the State in 1987, 1988, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2012 and 2016.
Major landslides were reported in 1993, 2009 and 2019 with several incidents reported in the Nilgiris district.
