PM Modi unveils first ever national plan for disaster management

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP), which is aimed at making the country disaster resilient and significantly reduce the losses of lives and assets during such calamities.

“Based on the 'Sendai Framework', the plan covers all phases of disaster management, that is, prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. It provides for horizontal and vertical integration among all the agencies and departments of the government,” an official statement said.

PM Narendra Modi. Reuters

The Sendai Framework was adopted by United Nations member-states on 18 March 2015, at the third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai city of Japan.

The NDMP is a dynamic document in the sense that it will be periodically improved keeping up with the emerging global best practices and knowledge bases in disaster management, a Home Ministry statement said.

“The plan also spells out the roles and responsibilities of all levels of government right up to panchayat and urban local body in a matrix format. The plan has a regional approach, which will be beneficial not only for disaster management but also for development planning,” it said.

The plan also identifies major activities such as early warning, information dissemination, medical care, fuel, transportation, search and rescue, evacuation, etc. to serve as a checklist for agencies responding to a disaster.

To prepare communities to cope with disasters, the plan emphasises on a greater need for information, education and communication activities.

For each hazard, the approach used in this national plan for disaster management incorporates the four priorities enunciated in the Sendai Framework into the planning framework for Disaster Risk Reduction under the five Thematic Areas for Actions, the Home Ministry statement said.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 outlines seven clear targets and four priorities for action to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks.

These are -- Understanding disaster risk; Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk; Investing in disaster reduction for resilience and Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "Build Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The response part of the NDMP has identified 18 broad activities which have been arranged into a matrix to be served as a ready reckoner.

They are early warning, maps, satellite inputs, information dissemination, evacuation of people and animals, search and rescue of people and animals, medical care, drinking water/ dewatering pumps/ sanitation facilities/ public health, food and essential supplies.

In the communication area: housing and temporary shelters, power, fuel, transportation, relief logistics and supply chain management, disposal of animal carcasses, fodder for livestock in scarcity-hit areas, rehabilitation and ensuring safety of livestock and other animals, veterinary, data collection and management, relief employment and media relations.

The Plan has also incorporated a chapter on strengthening disaster risk governance.

The generalised responsibility matrix given in this section summarises the themes for strengthening disaster risk governance and specifies agencies at the Centre and State with their respective roles.

The matrix has several thematic areas in which central and state governments have to take actions to strengthen disaster risk governance, mainstream and integrate DRR and institutional strengthening, capacity development, promote participatory approaches, work with elected representatives grievance Redress Mechanism, promote quality standards, certifications and awards for disaster risk care management.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and senior officers of the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Home Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority were present during the function.