Keeping in view the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Government of India released the 1st instalment of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) amounting to ₹ 11,092 crore to State Governments on 3rd April, 2020 in advance to strengthen the States to deal with the pandemic. This was stated by Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs in response to a written question asked in the Lok Sabha today.

Giving more details, Shri Thakur said that State Governments have been allowed additional borrowing limit of up to 2 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the year 2020-21. As against the additional borrowing limit of 2% of GSDP, consent for borrowing of 0.50 per cent of GSDP amounting to ₹ 1,06,830 crore has already been issued to the States to raise Open Market Borrowing (OMB) during the year 2020-21.

In his written reply, Shri Thakur said that State-wise details of the funds released is at Annexure-I and State-wise details of additional borrowing of 0.5 per cent of GSDP issued to the State for the year 2020-21 is enclosed at Annexure-II.

ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE-II

 

 

Additional borrowing limit for states allows part consent to raise open market borrowing to assist COVID-19 response. The Government advanced the first instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund to States for COVID 19 response, with state wise disbursal detailed in Annexure I. Concurrently, States were permitted an additional borrowing limit up to 2 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product for 2020 21, and central consent was issued for 0.50 per cent of GSDP to be raised through Open Market Borrowing during the year, with state wise consent particulars set out in Annexure II.