Features of India's First Ever National Disaster Management Plan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) on the 1st of June. This is the first ever national plan prepared in the country. The NDMP has been aligned broadly with the goals and priorities set out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
#NDMP is India's 1st National Disaster Management plan.#NDMA #DisasterPlan pic.twitter.com/4ZFB3r8M5Q
— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) June 1, 2016
The Vision of the Plan is to "Make India disaster resilient, achieve substantial disaster risk reduction, and significantly decrease the losses of life, livelihoods, and assets - economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental - by maximising the ability to cope with disasters at all levels of administration as well as among communities".
There are numerous features of the plan that makes it really special. Following are the highlights of the NDMP:
National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) provides horizontal & vertical integration of all agencies & government departments.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramcdi) June 1, 2016
For each hazard, the approach used in this national plan incorporates the four priorities enunciated in the Sendai Framework into the planning framework for Disaster Risk Reduction under the five Thematic Areas for Actions:
1.
Understanding
Risk
2.
Inter-Agency
Coordination
3.
Investing
in
DRR
-
Structural
Measures
4.
Investing
in
DRR
-
Non-Structural
Measures
5.
Capacity
Development
The Response part of the Plan has identified eighteen broad activities which have been arranged into a matrix to be served as a ready reckoner:
Released National Disaster Management Plan. It focuses on disaster resilience & reducing damage during disasters. pic.twitter.com/vVtA5oUwNA
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 1, 2016
1.
Early
Warning,
Maps,
Satellite
inputs,
Information
Dissemination
2.
Evacuation
of
People
and
Animals
3.
Search
and
Rescue
of
People
and
Animals
4.
Medical
Care
5.
Drinking
Water,
Dewatering
Pumps,
Sanitation
Facilities,
Public
Health
6.
Food
and
Essential
Supplies
7.
Communication
8.
Housing
and
Temporary
Shelters
9.
Power
10.
Fuel
11.
Transportation
12.
Relief
Logistics
and
Supply
Chain
Management
13.
Disposal
of
Animal
Carcasses
14.
Fodder
for
livestock
in
scarcity-hit
areas
15.
Rehabilitation
and
Ensuring
Safety
of
Livestock
and
other
Animals,
Veterinary
Care
16.
Data
Collection
and
Management
17.
Relief
Employment
18.
Media
Relations
The Plan has also incorporated a Chapter on Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance. The generalised responsibility matrix given in this section summarises the themes for strengthening Disaster Risk Governance and specifies agencies at the Centre and State with their respective roles.
The matrix has six thematic areas in which Central and State Governments have to take actions to strengthen disaster risk governance:
1.
Mainstream
and
integrate
DRR
and
Institutional
Strengthening
2.
Capacity
Development
3.
Promote
Participatory
Approaches
4.
Work
with
Elected
Representatives
5.
Grievance
Redress
Mechanism
6.
Promote
Quality
Standards,
Certifications,
and
Awards
for
Disaster
Risk
Management
The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) provides a framework and direction to the government agencies for all phases of disaster management cycle.
The NDMP is a dynamic document in the sense that it will be periodically improved keeping up with the emerging global best practices and knowledge bases in disaster management.
Globally, the approach towards post-disaster restoration and rehabilitation has shifted to one of betterment reconstruction. The NDMP provides a generalised framework for recovery since it is not possible to anticipate all the possible elements of betterment reconstruction.
The Plan also highlights that the disaster risk reduction will be achieved by mainstreaming the requirements into the developmental plans.