NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY 

Context 

NDMA

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is India's apex statutory body for disaster management.
• The NDMA was formally constituted on 27th September 2006, by the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Composition 

• The Prime Minister is its chairperson and it has nine other members. One of the nine members is designated as Vice-Chairperson.

• The primary responsibility for the management of disaster rests with the State Government concerned.
  However, the National Policy on Disaster Management puts in place an enabling environment for all i.e. the Centre, State and District.
• India is also a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) which sets targets for disaster management.

Evolution of NDMA

Vision

• According to the NDMA website, India envisions the development of an ethos of Prevention, Mitigation and Preparedness.
• The Indian government strives to promote a national resolve to mitigate the damage and destruction caused by Natural and man-made disasters, through sustained and collective efforts of all government agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations and People.
• This is planned to be accomplished by adopting a Technology-Driven, Pro-Active, Multi-Hazard and Multi-Sectoral strategy for building a Safer, Disaster Resilient and Dynamic India.

Functions and responsibilities 

1. Lay down policies on disaster management.
2. Approve the National Plan.
3. Approve plans prepared by the Ministries or Departments of the Government of India by the National Plan.
4. Lay down guidelines to be followed by the State Authorities in drawing up the State Plan.
5. Lay down guidelines to be followed by the different Ministries or Departments of the Government of India to integrate the measures for the prevention of disaster or the mitigation of its effects in their development plans and projects.
6. Coordinate the enforcement and implementation of the policy and plans for disaster management.
7. Recommend provision of funds for mitigation.
8. Provide such support to other countries affected by major disasters as may be determined by the Central Government.
9. Take other measures for the prevention of disaster or the mitigation or preparedness and capacity building for dealing with threatening disaster situations or disasters as it may consider necessary.
10. Lay down broad policies and guidelines for the functioning of the National Institute of Disaster Management.

Aapda Mitra

• NDMA started a scheme to train community volunteers in disaster response in selected flood-prone districts of India.
• It has implemented a Scheme of Aapda Mitra on a pilot basis to train 6000 community volunteers (200 Per district) in 30 flood-prone districts of 25 States/UTs in disaster response with a focus on floods so that they can respond to the community's immediate needs in the aftermath of a disaster.
• More than 5500 volunteers have been trained under the pilot scheme.
• Based on the success of the pilot scheme and requests from the States/ UTs, the Government of India has approved the UP-Scaling of Aapda Mitra Scheme, covering 350 districts prone to flood, landslide, cyclones and earthquakes to train 1, 00, 000 community volunteers in disaster response.
• "Sewa, Samarpan and Paropakar" are the identities of Aapda Mitras.
   

• The NDRF conducts community awareness programmes for the capacity building of the community in disaster management.
• In the year 2021, NDRF has trained 1380 community volunteers in disaster management.
• NDRF is also conducting School Safety Programme (SSP) and imparting basic training to school children as well as teachers to evacuate themselves during an earthquake.
• In 2021, NDRF has conducted 81 SSPs covering 18, 057 beneficiaries.
• To inform, educate and make the people aware, NDMA runs awareness generation campaigns through electronic and print media, including social media, on various disasters, from time to time.
• These campaigns include Do's and Don'ts, Audio-Visual films and messages containing preparedness before, during and after disaster events.

• When a disaster happens, volunteers from the affected community are normally the first to act.
• In any disaster, however quick the government machinery may be external help takes time to reach the affected people and this time lag is very crucial in saving lives and livelihood.
• The impact of volunteers in disaster response can be tremendous, as the extent of damage in terms of economic and human loss is greatly influenced by the initial response to a disaster.
• There lies a critical need to train these volunteers in certain basic skills in disaster management so that they can respond in an informed and prompt manner as well as assist the concerned agencies in rescue and relief operations.

• A team of 30 volunteers, comprising journalists, lawyers and IT workers, Managed several operations besides supplying food to over 30, 000 people following distress calls they received on the 1077 helpline number.
• They took control of the Rescue Operation Centre at Eranakulam of the district disaster management authority.
• They managed these operations with the help of hundreds of fishermen and also coordinated with several choppers through personal contacts in Air Force and NDRF.
• The 30-member team eventually split into multiple teams as the volume of distress calls went up. It was something never anticipated.
• The team was split to handle the huge number of distress calls.
• One group of nine attended calls and noted down details.
• Another team of nine engaged in data entry, while the others made calls and used social media to coordinate rescue efforts in several cases and reached out to personal contacts.
• Aluva, Chalakkudi and Paravur areas witnessed massive flooding, the 30-member team connected to several WhatApp groups with over 1200 volunteers in all, including celebrity radio jockeys, IT employees, lawyers to fishermen.