India’s direction for disaster resilience, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• The Home Ministry (MHA) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) oversee disaster management in India, guided by the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction.
• The 15th Finance Commission allocated ₹2.28 lakh crore for disaster risk reduction (DRR) over five years.
• ₹5,000 crore has been allocated to modernizing fire safety and creating volunteer groups (Apda Mitra and Yuva Apda Mitra).
• Reconstruction projects worth ₹5,000 crore have been approved for Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, and Kerala.
• Mitigation projects worth ₹10,000 crore are being implemented across states, prioritizing nature-based solutions.

Detailed Insights:

• The 15th Finance Commission shifted focus from post-disaster relief to include prevention, mitigation, preparedness, capacity building, and post-disaster reconstruction.
• The commission allocated funds for preparedness and capacity building (10%), mitigation (20%), response (40%), and reconstruction (30%).
• Priority areas include evaluating multi-hazard challenges, integrating scientific concepts into public finance, avoiding duplication, synergizing relationships, and establishing light-touch regulation.
• The MHA has approved reconstruction projects and is conducting scientific assessments of damage from extreme precipitation.
• Capacity-building funds are directed towards geo-spatial training labs and expanding research at the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM).
• Mitigation projects prioritize nature-based solutions like revitalizing water bodies, using remote sensing for glacial lakes, and bio-engineering for slope stabilization.
• India leads DRR initiatives at international forums like the G-20, SCO, BIMSTEC, and IORA.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Proactive measures to minimize vulnerabilities and disaster risks to avoid or limit the adverse impacts of hazards.
• Mitigation: Measures taken to reduce the severity or impact of a disaster, such as building codes and land-use planning.
• Preparedness: Activities undertaken to improve readiness for a disaster, such as early warning systems and evacuation plans.
• Capacity Building: Developing and strengthening the resources and abilities of individuals, organizations, and communities to cope with disasters.