India’s Initiatives
Legal and institutional reforms
The Disaster Management Act, 2005 provides the legal base for disaster risk management in India. It created national, State, and district institutions and clarified roles.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)works under this law and issues national guidelines so actions are standard across different hazards and regions.
Governance and coordination
The MHA and NDMA oversee the full disaster cycle: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
NDMA has issued 38 guidelines and set up appraisal committees for projects that are specific to hazards and regions.
States are first responders and use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for notified disasters.
For severe disasters, the Union Government supports States through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) after an assessment by an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).
A Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) guided the recovery plan.
Financing architecture
State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Created under Section 48(1)(a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the SDRF is the primary fund with States for immediate relief in notified natural disasters. The Union–State cost-share is generally 75:25, and 90:10 for special-category/Northeast and Himalayan States. Releases follow Finance Commission recommendations and Ministry of Home Affairs norms.
National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
Created under Section 46 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and funded by the Union Government (with scope for external grants), the NDRF is used after an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) assesses that a disaster is of a “severe nature” and beyond a State’s SDRF capacity.
Fifteenth Finance Commission added
The 15th Finance Commission allocated ₹2.28 lakh crore over five years for disaster risk management.
The funding now covers prevention, mitigation, preparedness, capacity building, response, and reconstruction.
The split is 30%for preparedness and capacity building (10%) and mitigation (20%), and 70% for response (40%) and reconstruction (30%).
Priority given to multi-hazard appraisal, science-based design, cooperation between the Centre and States and among ministries.
Reconstruction packages of about ₹5,000 crore have started in several States.
Funds support modernising fire safety (₹5,000 crore).
Preparedness and capacity building
Strengthened community capacity through the Apda Mitra and Yuva Apda Mitra volunteer networks.
The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) is expanding geo-spatial training labs, faculty-led action research, and a 36-stream standard course so that disaster management is mainstreamed to each panchayat.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Academy, the National Fire Service College, and the NIDM train public officials and responders in hazard science, incident response, and policy.
NIDM also anchors the Indian Universities and Institutions Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (IUINDRR-NIDM). This network links 300+ universities and institutes to develop model curricula, training modules, and other knowledge products on disaster risk reduction.
Public alerting and emergency response
Common Alerting Protocol (CAP):
India’s unified warning system that sends location-specific alerts in local languages via SMS, TV, radio, Indian Railways announcements, coastal sirens, cell broadcast, and browser notifications.
CAP also uses satellite-aided channels—NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) and GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation)
The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) provides a single emergency number that also supports disaster-related distress calls and speeds up response.
Mitigation and risk reduction
Mitigation projects of ₹10,000 crore focus on nature-based solutions for long-term climate risks.
The National Cyclone Mitigation Programme (2011–22; ₹5,000 crore) reduced coastal vulnerability by building seven-day early warning systems, cyclone shelters, and embankments.
States are encouraged to –
Revitalise water bodies and green spaces to control urban floods;
Use remote sensing and automated weather stations to monitor glacial-lake risk;
Apply bio-engineering solutions for slope stabilisation in landslide zones;
Use break lines, water-body care, and fuel evacuation to reduce forest fires.
The web-based Dynamic Composite Risk Atlas and Decision Support System (Web-DCRA & DSS) supports cyclone risk planning and was used during Cyclone Biparjoy and Cyclone Michaung.
Global collaboration
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI): India launched the CDRI, a global partnership of 46 countries and 8 partner organisations. It helps governments, international bodies, and the private sector make infrastructure stronger against climate and disaster risks.
India also leads and supports disaster risk reduction work in the Group of Twenty (G-20), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).