Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• Preparation of Disaster Management Plans:
  • The bill proposes that NDMA and SDMAs prepare their disaster management plans directly.
• National and State Disaster Database:
  • Bill makes provisions for a comprehensive disaster database at national and State levels.
• Appointment into NDMA:
  • The bill gives authority to NDMA to determine requirement of its staff and appoint experts with approval of the central government.
• Urban Disaster Management Authority:
  • The bill establishes Urban Disaster Management Authorities (UDMA) for state capitals and metropolitan cities which will plan and implement such UDMAs activities.
• Establish State Disaster Response Force:
  • The bill empowers state governments to create SDRFs, defining functions and terms of service.
• Statutory Status to Existing Committees:
  • The bill would give statutory status of NCMC and HLC with reference to dealing with major disasters and providing financial assistance respectively.
• Penalties and Directives:
  • The bill introduces new section 60A in enabling central and state governments to direct any person for any action or refrain from any action for reducing impact of a disaster and impose a penalty not exceeding 10,000 rupees.

Concerns Relating to Bill, 2024:

• More centralization of Powers:
  • It further centralizes the already very-centralized Disaster Management Act, 2005. This ably creates more authorities and committees at innumerable levels.
• Lack of Local Resources:
  • The bill does not consider the possible dearth of resources and funding for establishing and maintaining the UDMAs at the local level.
• Enforcing Disaster Relief as a Judicial Right:
  • The Bill does address the issue of making disaster relief as a justice-filed right.
• Difficulties of Integration:
  • Transfer of Liability from National Executive Committee and State Executive Committees to NDMA and SDMAs is likely to pose other integration problems.
• Restricted definition of ‘Disaster’:
  • It is not declared or not notified disaster under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 heatwaves.
  • The government has yet to categorize heatwaves under any such disasters.
• Impact on Federal Dynamics:
  • This bill, in its current form, may positively shift the frictions in central-state relations as it is bound to bring a more centralized and restrictive approach to resource-allocation decisions.

Loopholes in Disaster Management Act, 2005:

• Very Poor Instrumental Structure:
  • The Vice-chairman of NDMA has not been appointed for the last ten years, and this has caused much inefficiency and lost time.
• Bureaucratic Failure:
  • The Act is bureaucratically styled and is top-down in approach as far as decision-making is concerned. The significance of the grassroots administration is minimized.
• Ambiguity:
  • the definitions of key terms such as disaster and calamity are not explicit.
• Financial:
  • At times, the amount allocated is insufficient to meet the requirement in case of widespread disasters and delays then start in response and recovery.