New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- Heatwave and lightning have been included in the list of notified natural calamities under the operational guidelines for the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), the Union home ministry informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, adding that at least 20 heat stroke deaths have been reported in the country between March 1 and July 26 this year. "The 16th Finance Commission, in its recommendations for the award period 2026-31, recommended inclusion of heatwaves and lightning in the list of notified natural calamities, considering the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events arising from climate change," minister of state for home Nityanand Rai told the Lower House in response to a set of questions from fellow BJP MP Anoop Pradhan Valmiki. Based on these recommendations, the ministry of home affairs has "included heatwaves and lightning in the list of notified natural calamities" under the operational guidelines for administration of the SDRF and NDRF for the award period 2026-31, Rai said The minister added that a policy framework for providing relief assistance through SDRF/ NDRF is now in place. Rai also informed that there were 4,853 heat stroke cases between March 1 and July 26, 2026, while the confirmed heatstroke deaths were 20 in the country during the period. Most heat stroke cases were reported from Telangana (915 cases), followed by West Bengal (733) and Chhattisgarh (660). The current list of notified disasters has 12 entries: cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslides, avalanches, cloudburst, pest attack, and frost and cold waves. The latest inclusion will ensure states can use the SDRF fund for providing relief and assistance to people affected by heatwaves and lightning. Welcoming the move, Anjal Prakash, a climate expert and an IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) author, called it a significant policy shift. "It's an important step, given India's rising exposure and fragmented response to it. By including these as notified calamities, states can now take central support for relief, which was previously hard to justify under disaster finance tools," he said. htc...