Watch: Kerala disaster funds row: Sitharaman blames state for 311 cr non‑release

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Lok Sabha that approval and release of central funds are separate processes, stressing that States must apply and submit utilisation certificates before money is disbursed. She said ₹311.95 crore approved for Kerala under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund has not been drawn by the State. Congress MP Manickam Tagore, however, alleged a sharp mismatch between allocations and actual releases to Kerala and raised concerns over declining central transfers to Kerala and Tamil Nadu.