Hyderabad: Months after devastating floods battered parts of Telangana during the 2025 monsoon, the state is still waiting for central flood relief assistance, with the crucial post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) report yet to be finalised by the Centre.The delay has stalled the release of additional funds even as the state continues to count heavy losses, particularly in Kamareddy and Hanumakonda districts. The state govt had initially estimated flood losses at ₹5,000 crore, while the Centre has only recently completed its assessment process. Official sources said the assessment was carried out by a team from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) along with experts from various govt of India departments, who visited Telangana in the third week of Jan to finalise their evaluation. “The assessment was done by a team of subject experts sent by NDMA and GoI. The report for 2025 is being prepared as the inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) visited Warangal and Hanumakonda on Jan 16. It will be drafted based on their comments,” a senior state govt official told TOI.The official said the state had submitted damage estimates for both 2024 and 2025, and pointed out that the IMCT visited Telangana once in 2024 and twice in 2025. “The GoI had asked for a PDNA report, and the same was sent for 2024 for an amount of ₹3,011 crore recently,” he said. T put loss at ₹10,300 crWhile the Union home ministry initially released ₹231 crore as additional assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), the Telangana govt assessed total damage to various departments and properties at ₹10,300 crore.In Feb last year, a high-level committee, chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah, approved ₹1,554 crore as additional central assistance to five states, including Telangana, that were affected by floods, flash floods, landslides and cyclonic storms in 2024. However, the release of this assistance is subject to an adjustment of 50% of the opening balance available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the year. “This additional assistance is over and above the funds released by the Centre to the states in the SDRF, which is already placed at the disposal of the states. During the 2024-25 fiscal, the Centre released ₹18,322 crore to 27 states under SDRF, ₹4,808 crore from NDRF to 18 states, ₹2,208 crore from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund to 14 states, and ₹719 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund to eight states,” the Centre said. Utilisation certs soughtState govt officials, however, said the assistance received was inadequate. They pointed out that Telangana had also sought ₹5,400 crore as immediate relief, which was not granted. Officials recalled that when the state sought financial assistance soon after heavy rains caused widespread damage, the Centre asked it to furnish details of SDRF utilisation for funds released earlier. According to the Centre, as of April 1, 2024, Telangana had ₹1,345 crore available in the SDRF for relief measures during natural calamities. It has now stated that the ₹231 crore released is subject to an adjustment of 50% of the SDRF balance available in 2025-26.
