Major Boost to Disaster Relief in Jharkhand: Dependents of Road Accident Victims to Now Receive ₹4 Lakh in Assistance
Ranchi, April 28, 2026:
Several key decisions were taken during a review meeting of the Jharkhand State Disaster Management Authority, chaired by Hemant Soren. The objective of these decisions is to provide prompt and enhanced relief to those affected by disasters.
During the meeting, approval was granted to extend the tenure of District Disaster Management Officers—currently serving under the ODMP scheme—until the year 2026-27. Additionally, the procedure for disbursing ex-gratia grants to the dependents of individuals who lose their lives in disasters has been simplified to ensure they receive assistance expeditiously.
A consensus was reached on implementing strict provisions to prevent duplicate payments, under which a beneficiary will be entitled to receive either the ex-gratia amount or the benefits of an insurance scheme, but not both.
The most significant decision of the meeting was the enhancement of the relief amount provided to the dependents of victims of road accidents. They will now receive financial assistance of ₹4 lakh, increased from the previous amount of ₹1 lakh.
To strengthen the 'Yuva Aapda Mitra' (Youth Disaster Friend) scheme, a decision was taken to create a database of volunteers and integrate it with the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS). Furthermore, work will also proceed on a proposal to provide them with an allowance.
In view of the rising number of drowning incidents across the state, directives were issued to increase the number of divers and to ensure the active participation of women in these efforts.
Several senior officials, including Disaster Management Minister Irfan Ansari, were present at the meeting.
