Disaster Management (Amendment Bill), 2024:
The Government recently introduced the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the Lok Sabha.
- Disaster Management (Amendment Bill), 2024 seeks to amend the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which was enacted to provide for the effective management of disasters.
- The bill makes provision for the constitution of “Urban Disaster Management Authority” for State capitals and large cities having municipal corporations, except the union territories of Delhi and Chandigarh.
- The bill empowers the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the State Disaster Management Authorities to prepare the disaster plan at the national level and state level, respectively, instead of the plans made by the National Executive Committee and the State Executive Committees earlier.
- Furthermore, the NDMA will have the authority to appoint experts and consultants as necessary to fulfill its functions effectively.
- It seeks to create a “disaster database at national and State level.
- The database will include disaster assessment, fund allocation detail, expenditure, preparedness and mitigation plan, risk register according to type and severity of risk, and such other relevant matters, in accordance with such policy, as may be determined by the Union government.
- The bill will grant statutory recognition to existing bodies like the National Crisis Management Committee and the High-Level Committee.
- It also seeks to make provision for a “State Disaster Response Force” by the State Governments.
- A new Section 60A will be added to empower both the Central and State Governments to direct individuals to take necessary actions or refrain from them to mitigate disaster impacts, with penalties for non-compliance not exceeding ₹10,000.
