The bill is aimed to strengthen the efficient working of the National Disaster Management Authority and the State Disaster Management Authorities and has provisions for the constitution of Urban Disaster Management Authority for state capital and large cities having municipal corporations
New Delhi: The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024, seeking to amend the Disaster Management Act, 2005, was introduced in the Lok Sabha today by Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai.
The bill is aimed to strengthen the efficient working of the National Disaster Management Authority and the State Disaster Management Authorities and has provisions for the constitution of Urban Disaster Management Authority for state capital and large cities having municipal corporations.
It will empower the authorities to prepare the disaster plan at the national level and state level instead of the National Executive Committee and the State Executive Committee.
Another crucial aspect of the amendment is the NDMA’s mandate to regularly assess the wide spectrum of disaster risks facing the nation, including those that could arise from extreme climate events and other factors, even if such disasters have not yet occurred.
The bill seeks to create a disaster database at the national and state level.
The proposed database will encompass vital information including disaster assessments, fund allocation details, expenditure reports, preparedness and mitigation plans, and a risk register categoried by type and severity of risk. These measures are in line with policies determined by the Central Government.
It also has provisions for the constitution of the State Disaster Response Force by the state government. The bill intends to bring more clarity and convergence in the roles of authorities and committees working in the field of disaster management.
The new legislation will grant statutory recognition to existing bodies like the National Crisis Management Committee and the High-Level Committee.
A new Section 60A will be added to 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 Rs 10,000.
In a statement regarding the Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the necessity of updating the Disaster Management Act, originally enacted in 2005, to integrate disaster management more effectively into development plans, aligning with the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.