Parliament Question: Preparedness and Response to Natural Disasters

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 344 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 02ND DECEMBER, 2025/ AGRAHAYANA 11, 1947

(SAKA) PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO NATURAL DISASTERS

344. SMT. RACHNA BANERJEE:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken by the National Disaster Management Authority

(NDMA) to improve preparedness and response mechanisms for natural disasters;

(b) the details of assistance provided by the Government to States affected by recent floods, cyclones and earthquakes; especially to West Bengal; and (c.) whether the Government plans to introduce new early warning and rapid response technologies? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) India, which is vulnerable to natural hazards, has made constant progress in enhancing its preparedness and response levels. The Disaster Management Act, 2005 articulates the need for mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into development planning. The National Policy on Disaster Management (NPDM), 2009 seeks to build a safe and disaster resilient India.-2- L.S.US.Q.NO. 344 FOR 02.12.2025 Disaster preparedness includes conducting drills and training, building disaster-resilient infrastructure, early warning dissemination, etc.

Response mechanisms, on the other hand, focuses on assessing damage, providing assistance, rehabilitation and reconstruction, etc. As such, the preparedness and response mechanisms for the natural disasters is a continuous and evolving process and these are constantly updated and revised depending upon the nature and severity of the natural disasters.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has undertaken several measures to strengthen disaster preparedness and response mechanisms with a strong emphasis on awareness generation, community outreach and risk reduction. Some of the major steps

undertaken by NDMA are as below: i. Issued 38 guidelines on various thematic and cross-cutting issues to standardise preparedness and response practices across the country. ii. Implemented the Aapda Mitra Scheme to train community volunteers in disaster response.

iii. Implementing the Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme (YAMS) to train 2,37,326 volunteers from National Cadet Core (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and Bharat Scouts & Guides (BS&G) in disaster response.-3- L.S.US.Q.NO. 344 FOR 02.12.2025 iv. Promoted improved early warning dissemination through Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) based Integrated Alert System (SACHET) under which more than 11,000 Crore early warning alerts have been disseminated.

v. Facilitates the conduct of State and Multi-State Level Mock Exercises on various hazards as per the vulnerability profile in close co-ordination with States and UTs. vi. Coordinates with NDRF, Armed Forces, line Ministries and States to mobilize teams, equipment and other resources for quick rescue and relief operations.

vii. Undertakes regular social-media campaigns to inform, educate and sensitise the public about preparedness measures before disasters, necessary precautions during disasters and appropriate actions in the post-disaster phase.

viii. Started various key disaster risk mitigation programmes through the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) for mitigating different hazards like landslide, GLOF, Coastal and River Erosion, Forest fire, Lightning, Earthquake etc.

(b) The primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the State Governments. The State Governments provide financial relief to the-4- L.S.US.Q.NO. 344 FOR 02.12.2025 affected people in the wake of notified disasters, from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at their disposal. However, in the event of disaster of a severe nature, additional financial assistance is extended from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) as per the laid down procedure, which includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT). Financial assistance under SDRF/ NDRF in the wake of natural disasters is by way of relief of immediate nature and not for compensation of loss as suffered/ claimed.

A statement of fund released from SDRF and NDRF to the States for providing immediate relief to the victims of notified disasters including floods, cyclones and earthquakes during the FY 2025-26 is annexed as Annexure-I.

Further, the State Government of West Bengal has been allocated an amount of ₹1311.20 crore (₹983.20 crore Central share + ₹328.00 crore State share) for the financial year 2025-2026 under SDRF, of which the first instalment of ₹491.60 crore from the Central share has been released to the State. Further, an amount of ₹5289.55 crore has been stated to be available as opening balance on 1st April, 2025 by the State Government in its SDRF account.-5- L.S.US.Q.NO. 344 FOR 02.12.2025

(C) Government of India has launched a scheme namely, CAP based Integrated Alert System (SACHET) to facilitate dissemination of warnings/alerts about impending hazards to geographically referenced population, in vernacular languages over various communication media like SMS, TV/Radio broadcast, Railways, Mobile application, social media, satellite terminals, etc.

CAP Platform integrates all alert generating agencies viz. India Meteorological Department (IMD), Central Water Commission (CWC), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Defence Geo-informatics Research Establishment (DGRE), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Forest Survey of India (FSI) with all State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs).

This system has been successfully used in recent disasters with more than 11,000 crore SMS alerts disseminated so far. This scheme is State of the Art and a 'Make in India' initiative. *****Annexure-I (Page-1) L.S.US.Q.NO. 344 FOR 02.12.2025 Details of funds allocated and released from SDRF and NDRF to the States during FY 2025-2026 As on 07.11.2025 (Rs. in crore) Sl. Name of Allocation of SDRF Releases from SDRF Releases from NDRF for No. the State Central State Total 1st 2ndInst Natural M of Fire PDNA Share Share Installment disasters services (R&R) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10 9 10

1. Andhra 1088.00 361.60 1449.60 -- -- -- -- -- Pradesh

2. Arunacha 243.20 27.20 270.40 237.20 -- -- 34.536 -- l Pradesh (115.60# +121.60)

3. Assam 751.20 83.20 834.40 375.60 -- 49.85 -- --

4. Bihar 1376.80 459.20 1836.00 688.40 -- -- 76.704 --

5. Chhattisg 400.00# -- -- -- -- arh 420.00 140.00 560.00

6. Goa 11.20 4.00 15.20 5.60 -- -- -- --

7. Gujarat 1287.20 428.80 1716.00 1854.00 -- -- 76.239 -- (1210.40 #+643.60 )

8. Haryana 238.80 -- -- --

477.60 159.20 636.80 26.241

9. Himachal 198.80 198.80 107.15 23.52 451.44 Pradesh 397.60 44.00 441.60

10. Jharkhan 276.00 -- -- 33.294 -- d 552.00 184.00 736.00

11. Karnatak 384.40 384.40 -- -- -- a 768.80 256.00 1024.80

12. Kerala 306.40 101.60 408.00 153.20 -- -- 36.32 78.168

13. Madhya 885.20 -- -- 89.145 -- Pradesh 1770.40 589.60 2360.00Annexure-I (Page-2) L.S.US.Q.NO. 344 FOR 02.12.2025

14. Maharasht 3132.80 1044.00 4176.80 1566.40 1566.40 -- 138.09 -- ra

15. Manipur 40.80 4.80 45.60 29.20 -- 114.88 16.20 -- (8.80#+2

0.40)

16. Meghalaya 64.00 7.20 71.20 60.00 # -- -- -- --

17. Mizoram 45.60 4.80 50.40 22.80 -- -- -- --

18. Nagaland 40.00 4.80 44.80 20.00 20.00 -- 14.42 --

19. Odisha 1560.00 520.00 2080.00 780.00 -- -- -- --

20. Punjab 481.60 160.80 642.40 240.80 240.80 -- -- --

21. Rajasthan 1440.00 480.00 1920.00 720.00 -- -- -- --

22. Sikkim 48.80 5.60 54.40 24.40 24.40 -- 11.612 76.15 (59.86+

16.29)

23. Tamil 496.00 -- 522.34 -- -- Nadu 992.00 330.40 1322.40

24. Telangana 436.80 145.60 582.40 218.40 -- -- 57.04 --

25. Tripura 67.20 7.20 74.40 25.20 -- -- -- --

26. Uttar 1880.80 626.40 2507.20 1836.00 -- -- -- -- Pradesh (895.60 #+940.40 )

27. Uttarakhan 455.60 455.60 -- -- 291.15 d 911.20 100.80 1012.00

28. West 491.60 -- -- -- -- Bengal 983.20 328.00 1311.20

Total: - 21575.20 6608.80 28184.00 12254.00 2890.40 679.34 617.161 896.908 # = includes arrears of previous year.