Disaster management bill gets House nod; Shah says no centralisation of power
Shah launched a sharp attack on the Congress’s past management of the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, alleging a lack of accountability and transparency during the previous UPA regime
The Parliament on Tuesday passed the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill through a voice vote, with Union home minister Amit Shah asserting that there will be no centralisation of powers or discrimination with states in handling disasters.
Replying to the debate on the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Shah launched a sharp attack on the Congress’s past management of the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, alleging a lack of accountability and transparency during the previous UPA regime.
The bill amends the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to empower the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA) to make disaster plans and give statutory status to organisations such as national crisis management committee. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August 2024 and was passed in December.
“This bill ensures transparency, trust credibility and accountability,” Shah said, adding that the amendments to the Act take forward the fight against disaster from a “reactive approach to pro-active and innovative approach”.
“Our fight against disasters cannot be done without strengthening the institutions. Unless the institutions are made more accountable and responsible. If one looks at the bill, you will find we have done both things,” the Union minister said.
Since the introduction of the bill in the parliament last year, several opposition members have said that the amendments grant excessive rulemaking powers to the Centre, thereby overlapping with the states’ legislative powers and leading to greater centralisation. Opposition members also called for inclusion of disasters caused by climate change such as heatwaves into the definition of a “disaster”.
While responding to the discussion in the Upper House, Shah said, “Our fight against disasters cannot be done without strengthening the institutions, unless the institutions are made more accountable and responsible. If you looks at the bill, you will find we have ensured both.”
During the discussion, RJD lawmaker Sannjay Yadav said that in all its bills, the Centre has shown a tendency to increase the power of the Centre at the cost of the states’. He also demanded a dedicated disaster relief budget for Bihar, saying that the state was most affected by natural disasters.
Rasing concern over the NDRF allocations, BJD’s Manas Ranjan Mangaraj said, “The original 2005 Act defined disaster response as “addressing any threatening disaster situation or disaster”. However, the amendment seeks to redefine it as “for meeting different aspects of disaster management.” Instead of decentralising the fund’s usage, the Centre is asserting greater control over it. Such centralisation may create further conflicts and delays in the relief measures during disasters.”
