Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM’s speech at the ninth Formation Day of NDMA

I am very happy to participate in this function to mark the 9th Formation Day of the National Disaster Management Authority.

It has been about three and a half months since the massive tragedy in Uttarakhand took place. The large-scale loss of life, property and public infrastructure due to rains and floods in Uttarakhand point not only to India’s vulnerability to disasters but also to the need to take effective measures to prevent such disasters and contain their fall-out when they occur. It is indeed very important that we learn the right lessons from the Uttarakhand tragedy.

Before I proceed further, let me place on record my deep appreciation of the role played by various agencies of the Central and State Governments, Voluntary Organizations and the common people in rescue and relief operations in Uttarakhand. They worked together in very difficult conditions to save precious lives and property.

I also pay homage to those brave men and women from the Indian Air Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Disaster Response Force, Civil Administration, civilian air crew and the community at large who laid down their lives in trying to save others. Their exemplary courage and commitment will remain forever a source of inspiration for all of us. I am very happy that the National Disaster Management Authority has honoured some of these brave men and women today.

The post-disaster phase of immediate rescue and relief in Uttarakhand has been largely completed. But the task of reconstruction, rehabilitation and restoration of livelihoods is far from being over. The Central Government is committed to fully assist the Uttarakhand Government in this task. A Cabinet Committee has been constituted solely to provide broad guidance and support to reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in Uttarakhand. The Planning Commission is working to put together an Uttarakhand package in consultation with various Central Ministries.

Our nation is vulnerable to a variety of natural and man-made disasters. We are all aware of the devastation that such disasters have caused in our country in the past. Also, in recent years, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have increased globally. This has serious implications for the sustained growth and development of our economy as scarce resources are required to be deployed to address the negative consequences of disasters. It is therefore, imperative that we learn from past experience and equip ourselves better to prevent disasters and to contain their fall-out once they do happen. It is also very important that we integrate and mainstream disaster risk reduction strategies into our mainstream development initiatives. Our common endeavor should be to ensure that adequate capacities are built across our institutions and communities to reduce the adverse impact of disasters. While doing so, we also need to pay particular attention to the weaker sections of our society who are impacted by disasters in a disproportionately large manner.

The National Disaster Management Authority has been in existence for 8 years now. I am happy that this period has seen rapid progress in our efforts to put in place an institutionalized mechanism to deal with disaster situations, from the local level up to the national level. Apart from the National Disaster Management Authority at the national level, State Disaster Management Authorities and District Disaster Management Authorities have also been set up in a large number of States and Union Territories. This period has also seen the establishment of the National Institute of Disaster Management and the National Disaster Response Force at the national level and State Disaster Forces in some States and Union Territories. An institutionalized mechanism for funding disaster management efforts has also been put in place.

As the country’s apex body in the area of disaster management, the NDMA has an onerous set of responsibilities to discharge. It not only lays down our policies on disaster management but also lays down guidelines for the State Authorities to follow while making their own State Plans. It has a coordinating role in ensuring that its policies and Plan are, in fact, enforced. It recommends funding for disaster management efforts and takes the other measures required for prevention and mitigation of disasters and capacity building for disaster management. This is a very heavy burden of work particularly in a country as large and as vulnerable to disasters as ours is. However, the NDMA has performed these tasks with distinction in the past eight years.

The NDMA’s efforts to increase awareness and strengthen disaster preparedness in the country are particularly significant. For example, it conducted an earthquake preparedness exercise in Delhi in 2011-12, followed by a multi-state campaign for North-western States in 2012-13. A similar exercise will be conducted in the current fiscal year for North-eastern States of the Union. These exercises not only test the level of our preparedness but also help in identifying gaps in our response mechanisms.

However, much remains to be done to make our country disaster resilient. Our forecasting and early warning capabilities need to be strengthened and upgraded. Our communication systems need to be improved to ensure that disaster alerts and warnings reach the last person in the village without delay. The capacities of our Panchayati Raj institutions and local communities, who are the first responders in any disaster situation, need to be enhanced further. In fact, disaster risk reduction strategies should be made an integral part of our development processes. This aspect has been recognized and particularly emphasized in the 12th Plan document.

Disaster Management is indeed a complex exercise, involving the active and coordinated participation of a large number of stakeholders. These stakeholders include the Central and State Governments, Panchayati Raj institutions, Civil Society Organisations, local communities and citizens. I would particularly urge the State Governments to urgently strengthen their State and District Disaster Management Authorities and ensure that effective State Disaster Management Plans and Standard Operating Procedures for responding to specific vulnerabilities are not only put in place but also regularly updated and tested. The Central Government will, of course, provide all possible support in these onerous tasks. The NDMA will continue its efforts for strengthening community preparedness for disaster events and engaging in activities related to disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. Efforts will also be made to develop policies and programs to ensure that our governance structures and communities are better prepared to deal with both natural and man-made hazards.

With these words, let me end by once again paying homage to the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in Uttarakhand in the service of the Indian people. I also wish the NDMA all the best for the future.