Parliament Question: Cell Broadcast Alert System for Disaster Warnings

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1544 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28TH JULY, 2026/ SHRAVANA 6, 1948 (SAKA) CELL BROADCAST ALERT SYSTEM FOR DISASTER WARNINGS 1544. Ms. SAYANI GHOSH: Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) the details of the authority or agencies responsible for issuing, authorising, operating and monitoring alerts under the Cell Broadcast Alert System for Disaster Warnings system; (b) the types of disasters and emergencies proposed to be covered under the system, the geographical targeting mechanism adopted and the expected lead time within which alerts can be issued prior to such events; (c) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of the effectiveness of the system in reducing disaster-related casualties and improving emergency preparedness and if so, the details thereof; and (d) the measures taken to ensure that alerts are delivered promptly in regional languages across all mobile networks and handsets, including in remote and vulnerable areas? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI) (a) Cell Broadcast Alert System for Disaster Warnings is operated through the Integrated Alert System based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) implemented by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The system integrates five Warning Generating Agencies, namely the India-2- L.S.US.Q.NO. 1544 FOR 28.07.2026 Meteorological Department (IMD), Central Water Commission (CWC), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) and Forest Survey of India (FSI), with the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) of all States/UTs. The respective Warning Generating Agencies and SDMAs are responsible for issuing and authorising disaster-specific alerts, while the CAP-based platform facilitates their dissemination through the Cell Broadcast system. (b) The Cell Broadcast Alert will be used for timely warning to citizens for disaster events with very short lead time like Cyclone, Tsunami, Heavy Rainfall, Lightning, Flash Flood, Thunderstorms, Hailstorm, Avalanche, Cloudburst, Industrial/man-made disasters and other events which merit immediate alerting. The Warning generating agencies provide Geo-targeted warnings and Geo-targeted alerts are disseminated to the public. (c) Timely receipt of warning and timely dissemination of alerts acts as one of the contributing factor in reducing disaster-related causalities and improving emergency preparedness. The System provides timely alerts to the public, which indirectly improves emergency preparedness and necessary precautions, thus helps in reducing disaster-related casualties.-3- L.S.US.Q.NO. 1544 FOR 28.07.2026 (d) All warnings generated by the forecasting agencies are translated to the State language of the target population and disseminated to the recipients by the SDMAs. The Alerts are received across all mobile networks and handsets in the geo-targeted area which includes remote and vulnerable areas *****