Parliament Question: Earthquake Vulnerability and Steps taken to Mitigate the Risk

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5499 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 25TH MARCH, 2026 EARTHQUAKE VULNERABILITY AND STEPS TAKEN TO MITIGATE THE RISK

5499. DR. INDRA HANG SUBBA:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has conducted any study to understand the frequent earthquakes affecting the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government has allocated any budgetary provisions exclusively for such studies;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the details of measures taken by the Government in order to reduce the vulnerability and risk involved in this respect? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) and (b) Yes. The Government has undertaken several scientific studies to understand earthquakes occurring in the country. These studies are primarily carried out by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through its attached office, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), along with other scientific institutions and academic organizations.

The details of such studies include continuous monitoring of seismic activity through a National Seismological Network (NSN) comprising 169 seismological observatories at present, analysis of earthquake source parameters, seismic hazard assessment, and microzonation studies in major cities. The Government has also supported research projects in crustal deformation, fault mapping, paleoseismology, and earthquake precursor studies.

(c) and (d) Yes. The Government has made budgetary provisions for earthquake-related studies.

These studies are supported under various central sector schemes of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, including the umbrella schemes such as Seismology and Geosciences component, under PRITHVI scheme of MoES. Funds are allocated for strengthening seismic networks, research projects, microzonation studies, and capacity building.(e) As part of the Government initiatives regarding reduction of earthquake risk and vulnerability; NCS has taken-up measures to strengthen the NSN through its expansion and modernization for disseminating the earthquake information to the stakeholders and the Public which improves the response to earthquake disaster and hazard assessment. Also, NCS has taken-up seismic hazard microzonation of targeted cities lying in high seismic zones for earthquake risk assessment and mitigation planning. Capacity building, public awareness programmes, and training initiatives are carried out by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and State Governments.

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