NATIONAL DISASTER
MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (NDMA) - GOVERNANCE
News: NDMA asks agencies not to share
Joshimath survey details with media
What's
in the news?
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After the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) said in a report that Joshimath sank 5.4 cm between
December 27 and January 8, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
directed all departments and organisations involved in survey and data
collection in the Uttarakhand town hit by land subsidence not to interact with
the media or share data on social media.
What
is NDMA?
●
The National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) is India’s apex statutory body
for disaster management.
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The NDMA was formally constituted on 27th
September 2006, by the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
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The Prime
Minister is its chairperson and it has nine other members. One of the nine
members is designated as Vice-Chairperson.
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Disaster Management Act also envisaged the
creation of State Disaster Management
Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers and the District
Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) headed by the District Collectors/
District Magistrate and co-chaired by Chairpersons of the local bodies.
●
The primary responsibility for the
management of disasters rests with the State Government concerned. However, the
National Policy on Disaster Management puts in place an enabling environment
for all i.e., the Centre, state and district.
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India is also a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
(SFDRR) that sets targets for disaster management.
What
is the vision of NDMA?
●
To build a safer and disaster resilient
India by a holistic, pro-active, technology driven and sustainable development
strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention,
preparedness and mitigation.
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According to the NDMA website, India
envisions the development of an ethos of Prevention,
Mitigation and Preparedness.
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The Indian government strives to promote a
national resolve to mitigate the damage and destruction caused by natural and
man-made disasters, through sustained and collective efforts of all Government
agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations and People’s participation. This is
planned to be accomplished by adopting a Technology-Driven,
Pro-Active, Multi-Hazard and Multi-Sectoral strategy for building a Safer,
Disaster Resilient and Dynamic India.
What
are the functions and responsibilities of NDMA?
●
NDMA, as the apex body, is mandated to lay
down the policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management to ensure a
timely and effective response to disasters.
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Towards this, it has the following
responsibilities.
○
Lay down policies on disaster management.
○
Approve the National Plan.
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Approve plans prepared by the Ministries
or Departments of the Government of India in accordance with the National Plan.
○
Lay down guidelines to be followed by the
State Authorities in drawing up the State Plan.
○
Lay down guidelines to be followed by the
different Ministries or Departments of the Government of India for the Purpose
of integrating the measures for prevention of disaster or the mitigation of its
effects in their development plans and projects.
○
Coordinate the enforcement and
implementation of the policy and plans for disaster management.
○
Recommend provision of funds for the
purpose of mitigation.
○
Provide such support to other countries
affected by major disasters as may be determined by the Central Government.
○
Take such other measures for the
prevention of disaster, or the mitigation, or preparedness and capacity
building for dealing with threatening disaster situations or disasters as it
may be considered necessary.
○
Lay down broad policies and guidelines for
the functioning of the National Institute of Disaster Management.
Schemes
of NDMA:
●
The National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) has implemented a Scheme of Aapda
Mitra on a pilot basis to train 6000
community volunteers (200 per district) in 30 flood-prone districts of 25 States/UTs in disaster response with a focus on
flood, so that they can respond
to the community’s immediate needs in the aftermath of a disaster. More
than 5500 volunteers have been trained under the pilot scheme.
●
Based on the success of the pilot scheme,
and request from the States/UTs, Government of India has approved the
Up-Scaling of Aapda Mitra Scheme, covering 350 districts prone to flood,
landslide, cyclone and earthquake to train 1,00,000 community volunteers in
disaster response.
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Apart from this, the National Disaster
Response Force (NDRF) conducts community
awareness programmes for the capacity building of communities in disaster
management. In the year 2021, NDRF has trained 1380 community volunteers in
disaster management.
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NDRF is also conducting School Safety Programme (SSP) and imparting
basic training to school children as well as teachers to evacuate themselves
during an earthquake. During 2021, NDRF has conducted 81 SSPs covering
18,057 beneficiaries.