While asserting that there will be no centralisation of powers or discrimination with states in terms of resources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Tuesday that the cost of “freebies” distributed by state governments cannot be met from disaster management funds.

Shah was replying to the debate on the Disaster Management Act, 2024, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha Tuesday. Lok Sabha had passed the legislation, which amends the Disaster Management Act of 2005, in December last year.

“The Finance Commission has specified norms… how much will be given for disaster relief… if a hut is destroyed a certain amount will be given, if a concrete house falls it will be a certain amount. I would like to ask the states to place their request based on these norms. The freebies that you have distributed…that cannot be met with disaster management funds,” Shah said.