Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024

On 11th December, 2024, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs introduced the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aiming to strengthen India's disaster response framework and work towards “zero casualties” during disasters.

Key Points

National Crisis Management Committee: Establishes the National Crisis Management Committee and other panels to enhance disaster response capabilities.
Strengthened Authorities: Enhances the roles of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs).
State Feedback: The amendments address implementation challenges flagged by states under the 2005 Act.
Opposition Concerns: Opposition cited concerns of centralisation, overlap, and lack of constitutional clarity.