Institutional Arrangements for Disaster Management in India

By

Institutional Framework under the Disaster Management Act, 2005:

  1. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
  2. The National Executive Committee
  3. State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) 
  4. District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) 
  5. Local Authorities 
  6. National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)
  7. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) 
  8. National Disaster Response and Mitigation Funds

Other important Institutions:

  1. National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC)
Institutional Framework under the Disaster Management Act, 2005:

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):

The NDMA, as the apex body for disaster management, is headed by the Prime Minister and has the responsibility for laying down policies, plans and guidelines for DM (and coordinating their enforcement and implementation for ensuring timely and effective response to disasters) . It will approve the National Disaster Management and DM plans of the Central Ministries/Departments. It will take such other measures as it may consider necessary, for the prevention of disasters, or mitigation, or preparedness and capacity building, for dealing with a threatening disaster situation or disaster. NDMA has the power to authorize the Departments or authorities concerned, to make emergency procurement of provisions or materials for rescue and relief in a threatening disaster situation or disaster. 

The NDMA is mandated to deal with all types of disasters, natural or man-made. Whereas, such other emergencies including those requiring close involvement of the security forces and/or intelligence agencies such as terrorism (counter-insurgency), law and order situation, serial bomb blasts, hijacking, air accidents, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) weapon systems, mine disasters, ports and harbour emergencies, forest fires, oil field fires, and oil spills will continue to be handled by the extant mechanism i.e., National Crisis Management Committee.

NDMA may, however, formulate guidelines and facilitate training and preparedness activities in respect of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) emergencies. 

The National Executive Committee:

The National Executive Committee (NEC) comprises the Union Home Secretary as the Chairperson, and the Secretaries to the GOI in the Ministries/Departments of Agriculture, Atomic Energy, Defence, Drinking Water Supply, Environment and Forests, Finance (Expenditure), Health, Power, Rural Development, Science and Technology, Space, Telecommunications, Urban Development, Water Resources and the Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff of the Chiefs of Staff Committee as members. Secretaries in the Ministry of External Affairs, Earth Sciences, Human Resource Development, Mines, Shipping, Road Transport & Highways and Secretary, NDMA will be special invitees to the meetings of the NEC.

The NEC is the executive committee of the NDMA, and is mandated to assist the NDMA in the discharge of its functions and also ensure compliance of the directions issued by the Central Government. NEC is to coordinate the response in the event of any threatening disaster situation or disaster. NEC will prepare the National Plan for Disaster Management based on the National Policy on Disaster Management. NEC will monitor the implementation of guidelines issued by NDMA. It will also perform such other functions as may be prescribed by the Central Government in consultation with the NDMA.

State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA):

At the State level, the SDMA, headed by the Chief Minister, will lay down policies and plans for DM in the State. It will, inter alia approve the State Plan in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the NDMA, coordinate the implementation of the State Plan, recommend provision of funds for mitigation and preparedness measures and review the developmental plans of the different departments of the State to ensure integration of prevention, preparedness and mitigation measures. 

The State Government shall constitute a State Executive Committee (SEC) to assist the SDMA in the performance of its functions. The SEC will be headed by the Chief Secretary to the State Government and coordinate and monitor the implementation of the National Policy, the National Plan and the State Plan. The SEC will also provide information to the NDMA relating to different aspects of DM.

District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA):

The DDMA will be headed by the District Collector, Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate as the case may be, with the elected representative of the local authority as the Co-Chairperson. DDMA will act as the planning, coordinating and implementing body for DM at District Page 12 of 53 level and take all necessary measures for the purposes of DM in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the NDMA and SDMA. It will, inter alia prepare the District DM plan for the district and monitor the implementation of the National Policy, the State Policy, the National Plan, the State Plan and the District Plan. DDMA will also ensure that the guidelines for prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response measures laid down by the NDMA and the SDMA are followed by all Departments of the State Government at the District level and the local authorities in the district.

Local Authorities:

For the purpose of this policy, local authorities would include Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), Municipalities, District and Cantonment Boards and Town Planning Authorities which control and manage civic services. These bodies will ensure capacity building of their officers and employees for managing disasters, carry out relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the affected areas and will prepare DM Plans in consonance with guidelines of the NDMA, SDMAs and DDMAs. Specific institutional framework for dealing with disaster management issues in mega cities will be put in place.

National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM):

The NIDM, in partnership with other research institutions has capacity development as one of its major responsibilities, along with training, research, documentation and development of a national level information base. It will network with other knowledge-based institutions. and function within the broad policies and guidelines laid down by the NDMA. It will organize training of trainers, DM officials and other stakeholders. The NIDM will strive to emerge as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in the field of Disaster Management. 

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF):

For the purpose of specialised response to a threatening disaster situation or disasters/emergencies both natural and man-made such as those of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear origin, the Act has mandated the constitution of a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

The general superintendence, direction and control of this force shall be vested in and exercised by the NDMA and the command and supervision of the Force shall vest in an officer to be appointed by the Central Government as the Director General of Civil Defence and National Disaster Response Force. 

National Disaster Response and Mitigation Funds:

A National Disaster Response Fund may be constituted as mandated in the Act. The National Disaster Response Fund will be applied by the National Executive Committee (NEC) towards meeting the expenses for emergency response, relief and rehabilitation, in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Central Government in consultation with the NDMA. The proposal of merger of National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) with National Disaster Response Fund shall be as recommended by the Finance Commission from time to time.

Similarly, as mandated by the Act, the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) may be created for projects exclusively for the purpose of mitigation. NDMF shall be applied by the NDMA and shall be as recommended by the Finance Commission from time to time

It shall be the responsibility of the States to constitute the Disaster Mitigation and Response Funds at the State as well as District levels. The modalities for the application of these funds will be worked out in accordance with the provisions of the Act.  

Other important Institutions:

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC):

The NCMC, comprising high level officials of the GoI headed by the Cabinet Secretary, will continue to deal with major crises which have serious or national ramifications. It will be supported by the Crisis Management Groups (CMG) of the Central nodal Ministries and assisted by NEC as may be necessary. The Secretary, NDMA may be a member of this Committee. 

Reference:

National Policy on Disaster Management(NPDM)

THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT, 2005

Compendium of Laws on Disaster Management

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Russian parliament passed a bill to revoke its ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

By
Relevance:  Russia revokes ratification of nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT) - ICAN But it affirmed that it will  retain its cooperation with the treaty’s verification system and implementing organisation.  Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty: The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which opened for signature in 1996, was intended to prohibit all nuclear weapon test explosions. Over 2,000 nuclear tests occurred between 1945 and 1996: the United States (1,000+), the Soviet Union (700+), France (200+), the United Kingdom and China (45 each). As at January 2013, 183 countries had signed the Treaty, of which 158 have also ratified it, including three of the nuclear weapon states (France, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom). However, 44 specific nuclear technology holder countries must sign and ratify before the CTBT can enter into force. Of these, eight are still missing: China, Egypt, India , Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the US. India , North Korea and Pakista...
Read more

Interstellar space and Interstellar Probes ( Voyager and New Horizons Missions )

By
Interstellar Space: Interstellar space is often called the space between the stars, but more specifically, it’s the region between our Sun’s heliosphere and the astrospheres of other stars. Our heliosphere is a vast bubble of plasma – a gas of charged particles – that spews out of the Sun. This outflow is known as the solar wind. The bubble surrounds the Sun and stretches beyond the planets. Both Voyager spacecraft had to travel more than 11 billion miles (17 billion kilometers) from the Sun in order to cross the edge of the heliosphere. This bubble is moving through interstellar space as the Sun orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy. As our heliosphere plows through space, it creates a bow wave, like the wave formed by the bow of a ship. Kuiper Belt &  Oort Cloud: The Kuiper Belt is a doughnut-shaped ring of icy objects around the Sun, extending just beyond the orbit of Neptune from about 30 to 55 AU. Similar to the asteroid belt, the Kuiper Belt is a region of leftovers f...
Read more

ISRO developing semi-cryogenic engine working on LOX Kerosene propellant

By
ISRO is developing a 2000 kN thrust semi-cryogenic engine working on an LOX Kerosene propellant combination for enhancing the payload capability of LVM3 and for future launch vehicles. Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is the lead centre for the development of semi-cryogenic propulsion systems with the support of other launch vehicle centres of ISRO. The assembly and testing of the propulsion modules were done at the ISRO propulsion complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri. As part of the engine development, a pre-burner ignition test article, which is a full complement of the engine power head system excluding the turbopumps is realized. The first ignition trial was conducted successfully on May 2, 2024, at semi cryo integrated engine test facility (SIET) at IPRC, Mahendragiri, which was dedicated to the nation recently by the honorable Prime Minister of India. Smooth and sustained ignition of the preburner is demonstrated which is vital for the starting of the semi-cryogenic engine. Semi-c...
Read more