Introduction

India’s approach to disaster management has entered a new phase, one that focuses not only on response and recovery but equally on risk reduction, preparedness, and resilience. With climate change intensifying heat waves, floods, and landslides, the country’s policy architecture, led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has embraced a multi-hazard, multi-stakeholder, and science-backed model. The guiding compass remains the Prime Minister’s Ten-Point Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction (2016), now reinforced by major financial and institutional reforms.

Why in the News

For the first time, India’s disaster management strategy has been fully integrated into public finance planning, through the 15th Finance Commission’s ₹2.28 lakh crore allocation for disaster risk reduction over five years. This is a paradigm shift: from ad hoc post-disaster relief to structured, science-driven, and nature-based risk mitigation. With new funding for fire safety, glacial risk monitoring, and bioengineering-led landslide prevention, the government’s efforts represent a bold move towards building a climate-resilient India. The initiative is also significant because it establishes clear budget-to-project chains, accountability mechanisms, and cross-institutional linkages, something missing in previous regimes.

India’s Evolving Disaster Management Framework

1. Multi-hazard nation: India faces diverse risks, floods, droughts, landslides, heat waves, cyclones, necessitating a multi-faceted approach.
2. Shift in focus: Earlier systems were relief-centric; now, they integrate prevention, mitigation, capacity building, and sustainable reconstruction.
3. Institutional leadership: The MHA and NDMA lead both pre- and post-disaster phases, ensuring coordination across States and institutions.
4. Guiding vision: The Prime Minister’s Ten-Point Agenda (2016) promotes risk-informed investments, community participation, and technology integration.

How the 15th Finance Commission Redefined Disaster Financing

• Historic allocation: ₹2.28 lakh crore ($30 billion) allocated over five years, a landmark in linking public finance with disaster resilience.
• Segmented approach:
  • Preparedness and Capacity Building – 10%
  • Mitigation – 20%
  • Response – 40%
  • Reconstruction – 30%
• End of debt dependency: Earlier, post-disaster reconstruction relied on multilateral loans; now, domestic fiscal mechanisms fill that gap.
• Five priority reforms:

1. 1. Evaluate multi-hazard risks and prioritize them.
   2. Integrate scientific mitigation models into fiscal systems.
   3. Avoid duplication with other schemes.
   4. Enhance Centre-State and institutional synergy.
   5. Ensure light-touch regulation for flexibility and speed.

Investing in Pre-Disaster Preparedness and Capacity Building

1. Fire safety modernization: ₹5,000 crore earmarked for upgrading urban and rural fire infrastructure.
2. Community-based volunteers: Apda Mitra and Yuva Apda Mitra programs train 2.5 lakh volunteers to act as first responders.
3. Strengthening institutions:
   1. National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) given a central role with geo-spatial training labs and action-based research.
   2. 36 streams of disaster management courses were introduced to mainstream DRR down to the panchayat level.
4. Outcome: Shift from theoretical to practical, localised risk management.

Nature-Based Solutions and Climate Adaptation

1. ₹10,000 crore mitigation projects across States emphasize nature-based, long-term solutions.
2. Bioengineering for landslides: Stabilizing slopes in Himalayan regions using vegetation and soil binding.
3. Urban flood control: Revitalizing water bodies and green spaces to restore natural drainage.
4. Glacial lake monitoring: Remote sensing and automated stations for real-time surveillance.
5. Forest fire prevention: Creating break lines, rejuvenating water bodies, and fuel evacuation corridors.
6. Brahmaputra beels rejuvenation: Ecological restoration to mitigate monsoon flooding.
7. Precursor success: National Cyclone Mitigation Programme (2011–22): ₹5,000 crore initiative, drastically reduced coastal vulnerability through shelters, embankments, and early warnings.

Building Technological and Institutional Resilience

1. Advanced early warning systems: Multi-hazard platforms with seven-day lead time for cyclones.
2. Common Alerting Protocol: Delivers region-specific alerts in local languages via multi-media.
3. Human resource development:
   • Training at NIDM, NDRF Academy, and National Fire Service College for hundreds of officers annually.
   • Mock drills, school safety programmes, and local awareness drives improve community response.
   • Network of 327 universities: Build research and innovation pipelines for disaster science and policy.

India’s Global Leadership in Disaster Resilience

1. Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI): India-led global initiative for climate-resilient infrastructure systems.
2. Active participation: G-20, SCO, BIMSTEC, and IORA platforms for sharing best practices.
3. Knowledge exchange: India’s experience in nature-based DRR and community-driven risk management now shaping global policy dialogues.

Conclusion

India’s journey from disaster relief to disaster resilience marks a tectonic policy evolution. With fiscal integration, scientific innovation, and community participation, the nation is shifting from reactive recovery to proactive risk management. The emerging focus on nature-based, sustainable, and locally-driven mitigation reflects India’s understanding that resilience is not built after a disaster, it is cultivated every day, across every sector.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of a resilience framework. Also mention the global targets of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).

Linkage: This PYQ is directly linked as the article highlights India’s evolving resilience framework under NDMA and the 15th Finance Commission, reflecting Sendai-aligned efforts to mainstream disaster risk reduction into national policy and finance.

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