The Indian government has introduced the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024, which aims to significantly overhaul the nation’s approach to managing urban disasters. This new legislation proposes the establishment of an Urban Disaster Management Authority for state capitals and cities with municipal corporations, enhancing the capabilities of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) with expanded planning powers and expert appointments.
The bill seeks to address the limitations of the existing Disaster Management Act of 2005 by centralising and streamlining disaster management efforts. Under the proposed framework, the NDMA and SDMAs will assume responsibility for formulating disaster management plans, a role previously undertaken by executive committees at national and state levels. This shift aims to leverage the authorities’ deep understanding of local terrains and geographic nuances, which is expected to lead to more effective and tailored disaster response strategies. A major provision of the bill includes the creation of a comprehensive disaster database at both national and state levels.
This database will encompass critical information such as risk assessments, fund allocations, expenditures, and preparedness measures. Additionally, the formation of Urban Disaster Management Authorities, chaired by municipal commissioners and supported by district collectors as vice-chairpersons, is designed to enhance local management and coordination. Col (Retd) Sanjay Srivastava, a disaster management professional from the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROSPC), praised the bill’s emphasis on empowering local authorities. He noted that local administrations are better positioned to understand and address specific regional challenges compared to the previous bureaucratic approach.
This change is expected to result in more relevant and actionable disaster management plans. Supporters of the bill, including the co-founder of SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society), view the initiative as a pivotal advancement in disaster risk reduction. The establishment of a centralised disaster database is seen as a crucial step towards improving resource allocation, stakeholder coordination, and informed decision-making during emergencies. This data-driven approach promises to enhance the nation’s overall resilience and response capabilities in the face of disasters.
