Parliament Question: Strengthening disaster response, preparedness and rehabilitation mechanisms

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 567 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 4TH FEBRUARY, 2026/ MAGHA 15, 1947 (SAKA) STRENGTHENING DISASTER RESPONSE, PREPAREDNESS AND REHABILITATION MECHANISMS 567. SHRI I.S. INBADURAI: Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) the initiatives undertaken to strengthen response, relief, early warning and preparedness measures for natural and man-made disasters across the country; (b) whether Government has implemented measures to enhance capacity building, risk mitigation, community training and prevention mechanisms to reduce loss of life, property and economic disruption during disasters nationwide; (c) whether Government proposes updating disaster-related legislation and policies to address emerging risks, ensure inter-agency coordination and improve timely decision-making between central, state and local authorities; and (d) plans to establish new NDRF stations at Tirunelveli to save nearby coastal villages to ensure rapid response, preparedness and rehabilitation for vulnerable coastal populations? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI) (a) to (c): The primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the State Governments concerned. Central Government extends logistics and financial supports to the States to supplement their efforts in the wake of natural calamities of severe nature.-2- R.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 There are well established institutional mechanisms at the National, State and District levels in the country to develop appropriate preparedness and prompt response mechanisms for effective management of natural disasters. Further, the Government has taken many initiatives in the field of disaster management to strengthen response, relief, early warning, preparedness, capacity building, community training etc. Some of such initiatives are as under:- 1. The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) was framed and issued, for the first time, in the year 2016. The same was revised in 2019. The revised NDMP brings together all sectors, ministries and departments at the Central and State level as well as district level functionaries and defines their respective roles and responsibilities in disaster risk reduction. 2. Since its enactment, Disaster Management Act, 2005 was amended for the first time in the year 2025. The amendments strengthened the institutional framework, financial mechanisms, urban disaster management and accountability structures. The amendments bring more clarity and convergence in the roles of Authorities and Committees working in the field of disaster management.-3- R.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 3. The ‘Scheme for Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services’ in the states, was launched, for the first time by the Government on 04.07.2022 with a financial outlay of Rs 5,000 crore, to strengthen the fire services in the country. 4. The Central Government has developed a strong and robust early warning system to predict various natural disasters like cyclone, floods, Tsunami, etc., so that post disaster response and recovery can be expedited in order to reduce the loss of life and property. Alerts for cyclones are now sent 7 days in advance against 5 days sent previously. 5. Early warning systems have been established in the coastal states under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP), which has proved very helpful in disseminating warnings to the coastal community during recent cyclones. 6. By using Common Alerting Protocol based Integrated Alert System (CAP), various dissemination mediums, viz., SMS, TV, Radio, Indian Railways, Coastal Siren and through integration of all warning agencies, the dissemination of geo-targeted early warnings/alerts-4- R.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 related to disasters, has been initiated to citizens of India in all 36 States/UTs. More than 12000 crore alerts have been broadcasted so far using this system. 7. In order to implement Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision of 'single emergency number for all emergencies across the country', the project "Extension of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS)" has been launched with the existing single number "112", which will also troubleshoot problems related to emergency calls for disasters. 8. The number of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) battalions has been increased from 10 to 16, which are strategically deployed based upon the vulnerability profile in the country, and to take immediate disaster specific action. 9. Increase in financial allocation and establishment of new funds: a. As per recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, an amount of Rs. 1,60,153 crore for the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) and Rs. 68,463 crore for the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), has been allocated for the period 2021-26.-5- R.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 b. Central Government has increased the allocation of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) during 2021-26 by 109 per cent, i.e., Rs. 1,28,122 crore as compared to Rs. 61,220 crore during the period 2015-20. Further, the Central Government has also allocated Rs. 54,770 crore under NDRF for the period of 2021-26. c. Mitigation funds namely State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) and National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) has been set-up, for the first time. An amount of Rs. 32,031 crore under SDMF and an amount of Rs. 13,693 crore under NDMF has been allocated during the award period of 2021-22 to 2025-26. 10. To strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacity at local level in the country, the Government has focused on community participation through the following initiatives: a. The Aapda Mitra scheme has been implemented in which 1,00,000 community volunteers have been trained for disaster recovery in 350 multi-hazard disaster prone districts covering all States/UTs. b. The Government has now launched a Scheme titled ‘Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme’ with a financial outlay of Rs. 469.53 Crore for training of around 2,37,000 community volunteers including volunteers of NCC, NSS, NYKS and BS&G.-6- R.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 11. The Government has also focused on the mitigation aspect of disaster management cycle. In this respect, the various mitigation programmes have been approved from National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) for implementation in various States. The details of such programmes are at Annexure. 12. India with its continuous efforts has significantly improved its preparedness to deal with disasters and disaster-like situations. The measures taken by the Central and State Governments have significantly improved disaster management practices, preparedness, prevention and response mechanism resulting in significant reduction in casualties during natural calamities, in the country. Further, strengthening of the disaster management is a continuing and evolving process of governance. (d): Based on the vulnerability profile of the Country, NDRF’s 16 Battalions are strategically placed to ensure swift mobilization in the event of any disasters. Besides, these 16 Batallions, there are 28 Regional Response Centres (RRC) and 25 Tactical Positioning Locations, thereby ensuring regular presence of NDRF at 69 locations in the country.-7- R.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 4th Battalion of NDRF with headquarter at Arakkonam (Tamil Nadu) and 01 RRC at Chennai deal with the disaster or disaster like situation in the state of Tamil Nadu. The area of Tirunelveli is covered by this Battalion. Further, one NDRF Team has been deployed to attend the Off-site emergency at Kundankulum Nuclear Power Plant Site, Tirunelveli and other disasters in the vicinity. The deployed team is self-contained in all respects to respond to all natural and man-made disasters situations in the surrounding and nearby areas, including coastal regions. *****L.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 Annexure (Page-1) Details of Mitigation Programme approved by the Government from NDMF S. Name of the Financial Objectives States/ Area covered No. Project outlay 1. Programme Rs. 1000 to reduce the 10 North-Eastern & For Crore mortality and Himalayan (NEH) Landslide economic losses, States as well as 5 Risk by reducing landslide prone States, Mitigation vulnerability of namely Maharashtra, communities and Karnataka, Tamil their assets to Nadu, Kerala and West landslides Bengal. 2. Glacial Lake Rs. 150 to adopt various 4 Himalayan States, Outburst Crore structural and viz, Himachal Pradesh, Flood (GLOF) non-structural Uttarakhand, Sikkim Risk mitigation and Arunachal Pradesh Mitigation measures to Programme minimize the risk of GLOF 3. Programme Rs for developing 12 most drought prone for Catalytic 2022.16 long term plans States (Andhra Assistance crore for drought Pradesh, Bihar, to 12 most mitigation Gujarat, Jharkhand, drought Karnataka, Madhya prone States Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh)L.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 Annexure (Page-2) 4. Mitigation Rs. focusing on 50 most lightning prone Project for 186.78 awareness districts of the 10 Lightning crore activities for States (Andhra Safety Lightning safety Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal) 5. Scheme for Rs. 819 for forest fire risk 144 forest fire prone Forest Fire crores management districts of 19 States Risk (Andhra Pradesh, Management Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttarakhand)L.S.US.Q.NO. 567 FOR 04.02.2026 Annexure (Page-3) 6. Urban Flood Rs. to reduce the risk 7 Major Cities, namely, Mitigation 3075.65 of urban floods Chennai, Kolkata, Programme Crore Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad 7 Urban Flood Rs. to reduce the risk Eleven (11) cities viz Risk 2444.12 of urban floods Bhopal, Mitigation crore Bhubaneshwar, Project Guwahati, Jaipur, (Phase-II) Kanpur, Patna, Raipur, Trivandrum, Vishakhapatnam, Indore and Lucknow 8 Restoration Rs For restoration 24 wetlands of 9 and 692.05 and rejuvenation districts of Assam, rejuvenation crore. of wetlands spread across of 24 Brahmaputra river wetlands of system Assam -------