India strengthens disaster management with new amendment

The Lok Sabha has passed the National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aimed at improving India's disaster management. The Bill strengthens the roles of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA) in preparing and responding to disasters. One key change is that the NDMA and SDMA will take charge of creating disaster management plans themselves. They will review disaster risks, especially climate-related ones, and offer technical support to local authorities. They are also tasked with maintaining disaster databases. The new Bill allows state governments to create Urban Disaster Management Authorities for cities. These authorities will handle disaster management in urban areas. Additionally, it empowers states to form State Disaster Response Forces (SDRF) for effective disaster response. Moreover, the Bill formalizes existing committees like the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) and the High-Level Committee (HLC). The NCMC will address major national disasters, while the HLC will oversee financial aid during such events.