Lok Sabha takes up Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 for consideration & passing

By  News On Air   Dec 12, 2024

The Lok Sabha has taken up the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 for consideration and passing. The Bill seeks to amend the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and it is intended to strengthen the efficient working of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA). The bill empowers the NDMA and SDMA to prepare the disaster plan at the national level and state level instead of the National Executive Committee and the State Executive Committee. The Bill also empowers the state government to constitute a separate Urban Disaster Management Authority for state capitals and cities with a municipal corporation. The Bill will provide for the creation of a disaster database at national and state level. The Bill empowers the state governments to constitute a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

Participating in the discussion, Ram Shiromani Verma of Samajwadi Party opposed the Bill saying that states should be given more freedom to act against disasters and relief measures. He said the compensation released under the Relief Fund should be enhanced. He added that the survey of areas susceptible to disasters should be mapped.

Member from DMK Kanimozhi stressed on prioritising early warning and prevention of disasters. She emphasised that if the warning is given much in advance, the lives of people could be saved by moving them to safer areas. She also argued that the proposed amendment is detrimental to the state governments’ rights and a dent on federal structure. She also called for the preparation of detailed terrain and landscape databases vulnerable to flood and other calamities. She added that this data should be shared with states. She also said the proposed Disaster Response Force has no clear financial resource linkage.

TDP MP Kesineni Sivanath welcomed the Bill saying the setting up of Urban Disaster Management Authority will empower disaster management activities. He said the setting up of authority at the district level will localise disaster management.

Dinesh Chandra Yadav of JDU said that the Bill’s proposals are based on a task force recommendation. He said the new sections introduced in the Bill will strengthen the Disaster Management Authority. He, however, said that global warming and its counter effects should be part of disaster management.

Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka pointed at the lack of shortage of manpower in the Authority. He said that instead of its full strength of 80557 members, the Authority only has a strength of only 14197 members. He said there is a need to prepare a risk assessment report. He also charged that the proposed amendment would centralise all Commands and thereby deprive inter-sector collaboration.

Discussion is underway.