Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024

The Indian government is set to introduce the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha.

Key-highlights of the Bill

• The bill aims to create a comprehensive disaster database at national and state levels and establish an Urban Disaster Management Authority for state capitals and major cities with Municipal Corporations.
• Disaster Database: This database will include disaster assessments, fund allocation details, expenditure reports, preparedness and mitigation plans, and a risk register categorized by type and severity of risk.
• Empowerment of NDMA and SDMA: The bill seeks to empower the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to independently prepare disaster plans, replacing the reliance on plans made by the National and State Executive Committees.
  • The NDMA will also be authorized to appoint experts and consultants as necessary.
  • The NDMA will regularly assess a wide spectrum of disaster risks, including those from extreme climate events and other potential threats, even if such disasters have not yet occurred.
• Statutory Recognition: The bill will grant statutory recognition to existing bodies like the National Crisis Management Committee and the High-Level Committee.
• The amendment aims to integrate disaster management more effectively into development plans, aligning with the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.
• State Disaster Response Force: The bill proposes that state governments establish a State Disaster Response Force.
• New Section 60A: This section will empower both the Central and State Governments to direct individuals to take necessary actions or refrain from them to mitigate disaster impacts, with penalties for non-compliance not exceeding ?10,000.

Need for Disaster Management in India

• India is among the world's most disaster-prone countries with 27 of its 29 states and seven union territories exposed to recurrent natural hazards such as cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, floods and droughts.
• Disasters were historically perceived as inevitable or divine interventions. However, now two primary phenomena have intensified disaster risks:
  • Climate Change: Unpredictable weather patterns, excessive rainfall leading to floods, extreme temperatures, formation of glacial lakes threatening ecosystems, and impacts on food security, water scarcity, and infrastructure.
  • Unplanned Development: Rapid and unguided development in transportation, energy, urbanization, and tourism, which, although meant to improve quality of life, increase disaster vulnerability.
• Climate change and unplanned development necessitate a systematic approach to manage disasters.
• Effective disaster management (DM) includes a defined cycle encompassing prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Current Structure of Disaster Management in India

• National Level:
  • National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): Policy-making body.
  • National Disaster Response Force (NDRF): Specialized force for disaster response.
  • National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM): Focuses on training, research, and knowledge dissemination.
• State Level:
  • State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs): State-level policy and planning.
  • State Disaster Response Forces (SDRFs): State-level response units.

The Disaster Management Cycle

• Prevention and Mitigation: Initial measures to prevent disasters and reduce their impact.
• Preparedness: Capacity building through training and resource allocation.
• Response: Immediate relief and rescue operations with trained personnel and modern technology, focusing on saving lives and livelihoods.
• Recovery: Assessing damage, securing resources, and rebuilding to create a more resilient environment.

Recent Developments

• Early Warning Systems: Adoption of the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for disseminating warnings and advisories to the public via mobile networks.
• International Cooperation: Active participation of the NDRF and Indian Armed Forces in international disaster relief missions, e.g., Nepal earthquake (2015), Japan’s triple disaster (2011), Turkey earthquake (2023).
• G20 Leadership: India prioritized DRR during its G20 presidency in 2023, emphasizing early warning technologies and disaster risk financing.