Disaster Management and Capacity Building Meeting

Summary of the Meeting on Disaster Management and Capacity Building

On a date not provided in the article, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, chaired a critical meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi, focusing on the themes of "Disaster Management and Capacity Building." The session brought together various key figures including Ministers of State for Home Affairs, committee members, and high-ranking officials from relevant disaster management authorities.

Key Points Discussed:

• Shifts in Disaster Management Approach:

  • The Modi government transitioned from a relief-centric to a rescue-centric disaster management approach since 2014, emphasizing proactive measures to enhance responsiveness and minimize casualties.

• Four Pillars of Disaster Policy:

  • The governmental disaster response policy is structured around four pillars: capacity building, speed, efficiency, and accuracy. This approach has demonstrated effective prevention, as highlighted by a drastic reduction in fatalities from disasters.

• Statistical Achievements:

  • There has been a reported 98% decrease in cyclone-related damage and a significant drop in heat wave casualties since the Modi administration commenced.
  • Historical comparisons indicate that earlier disasters, like the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha, which claimed 10,000 lives, starkly contrast with the 2023 Biparjoy and 2024 Dana incidents, where there were zero casualties.

• Challenges and Strategies:

  • The meeting acknowledged the growing occurrences of cloudbursts and landslides across various states, prompting the formulation of specific strategies to address these challenges.

• Financial Allocations and Schemes:

  • There has been a substantial increase in funding for disaster management, with allocations rising from ₹66,000 crore (2004-2014) to nearly ₹2 lakh crore (2014-2024).
  • Recent allocations include ₹1,28,122 crore for the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and ₹54,770 crore for the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for the financial period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
  • Additionally, ₹13,693 crore for the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) and ₹32,031 crore for the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) were allocated for the same period.

• Improving Response Times:

  • The average time taken to deploy Inter-Ministerial Central Teams to affected areas has decreased from 96 days to 8 days over the last ten years, reflecting increased governmental responsiveness.

• Technological Advancements:

  • The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is credited with enhancing technology use and policy formulation, while the NDRF effectively translates these strategies into on-ground operations.
  • The India Meteorology Department (IMD) and Central Water Commission (CWC) now provide reliable forecasts for floods and cyclones a week in advance.

• Community Participation and Training:

  • The government has actively developed grassroots capacities through initiatives such as the Aapda Mitra and Yuva Aapda Mitra schemes, training over one lakh community volunteers to ensure timely responses during disasters.

• Mitigation Projects:

  • Under the NDMF, projects totaling ₹8,072 crore have received approval to strengthen national disaster resilience.

• Public Awareness Initiatives:

  • Efforts to raise awareness about disaster prevention at the district and gram panchayat levels have been stressed, along with maximum publicity of the ‘SACHET App," designed to provide timely alerts regarding disasters.

Conclusion:

The discussion culminated with acknowledgment of the government's proactive measures in disaster management, fostering robust community engagement and continuous infrastructural improvement to mitigate disaster impact effectively. The Home Minister committed to disseminating essential disaster management information to all Members of Parliament, enhancing their awareness and involvement in disaster preparedness frameworks.

Important Bullet Points:

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting on disaster management and capacity building.
• Transition from relief-centric to rescue-centric disaster management.
• Disaster response policy focuses on capacity building, speed, efficiency, and accuracy.
• Reported 98% decrease in cyclone damage and significant reduction in casualties.
• Strategizing for cloudbursts and landslides.
• Funding increased to nearly ₹2 lakh crores from 2014 to 2024.
• Average deployment time for disaster response teams reduced from 96 to 8 days.
• Successful training of over one lakh community volunteers for disaster management.
• Launch of the SACHET app to provide disaster alerts.
• Public awareness initiatives at district and gram panchayat levels emphasized.