every year contingency plans
formulated by various Ministries/
Departments/Organizations in
their respective sectors, measures
required for dealing with natural
disasters coordinate the activities
of the Central Ministries and the
State Governments in relation to
disaster preparedness and relief
and to obtain information from the
nodal officers on measures relating
to above.
5. Control Room (Emergency
Operation Room): An Emergency
Operations Center (Control Room)
exists in the nodal Ministry of
Home Affairs, which functions
round the clock, to assist the
Central Relief Commissioner in
the discharge of his duties. The
activities of the Control Room
include collection and transmission
of information concerning natural
calamity and relief, keeping close
contact with
governments of
the affected States, interaction
with other Central Ministries/
Departments/Organizations in
connection with relief, maintaining
records containing all relevant
information relating to action
points and contact points in Central
Ministries etc., keeping up-to-date
details of all concerned officers at
the Central and State levels.
6. Contingency Action Plan:
A National Contingency Action
Plan (CAP) for dealing with
contingencies arising in the wake
of natural disasters has been
formulated by the Government of
India and it had been periodically
updated. It facilitates the launching
of relief operations without delay.
The CAP identifies the initiatives
required to be taken by various
Central Ministries/Departments in
the wake of natural calamities, sets
down the procedure and determines
the focal points in the administrative
machinery.
7. State Relief Manuals: Each
State Government has relief
36
manuals/codes which identify
that role of each officer in the
State for managing the natural
disasters. These are reviewed and
updated periodically based on
the experience of managing the
disasters and the need of the State.
8. Funding mechanisms: The
policy and the funding mechanism
for provision of relief assistance
to those affected by natural
calamities are clearly laid down.
These are reviewed by the Finance
Commission appointed by the
Government of India every five
years. The Finance Commission
makes recommendation regarding
the division of tax and non-tax
revenues between the Central and
the State Governments and also
regarding policy for provision
of relief assistance and their
share of expenditure thereon. A
Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) has
been set up in the State as per the
recommendations of the Eleventh
Finance Commission (Centre
contribute 75 percent where as State
25 percent). State can get assistance
through National Calamity
Contingency Fund (NCCF).Also
through Prime Minister Fund.
9. At the State level, response,
relief and rehabilitation are
handled by Departments of Relief
& Rehabilitation. The State Crisis
Management Committee is set
up under the Chairmanship of
Chief Secretary in the State. All
the concerned Departments and
organizations of the State and
Central Government Departments
located in the State are represented
in this Committee. This Committee
reviews the action taken for response
and relief and gives guidelines/
directions as necessary. A control
room is established under the Relief
Commissioner. The control room is
in constant touch with the climate
monitoring/forecasting agencies
and monitors the action being taken
by various agencies in performing
their responsibilities.
The district level is the key
level for disaster management and
relief activities. The Collector/
Dy. Commissioner is the chief
administrator in the district. He is
the focal point in the preparation
of district plans and in directing,
supervising and monitoring
calamities for relief. A District
Level Coordination and Relief
Committee is constituted and
is headed by the Collector as
Chairman with participation of
all other related government and
non governmental agencies and
departments in addition to the
elected representatives.
National Disaster Management
Act 2005
The Parliament of India has
enacted the National Disaster
Management Act in November
2005, which brings about a
paradigm shift in India’s approach
to disaster management. The centre
of gravity stands visibly shifted
to preparedness, prevention and
planning