Dimapur, January 11 (MExN): The government of India allocated at least Rs. 5 Crore to Nagaland as funds to “deal with disaster in the state” during for the current fiscal year 2011-2012. In December, Minister of State of Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran told the Rajya Sabha that the government of India allocated over Rs. 396.87 Crore under the State Disaster Response Funds (or SDRF) to deal with disasters in the North East Region.
According to his reply, Nagaland was allocated Rs. 5.22 Crore with the funding share of the Centre at Rs. 4.70 Crore and the state’s share at just Rs. 0.52 Crore. The other north eastern Region states were also mentioned in his reply Assam state received the biggest SDRF funds with Rs. 276.96 Crore allocated to it, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with Rs. 38.58 Crore as funds for disaster management. .
To strengthen the existing disaster management system in the country, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The Act provides for institutional mechanisms for drawing up and monitoring the implementation of the disaster management plans, ensuring measures by various wings of government for prevention, mitigating and minimize effects of calamities and for undertaking a holistic, coordinated, and prompt response to any calamity situation in the country.
As per the Disaster Management Act 2005, the Central Government has constituted the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) with the responsibility for laying down the policies, plans, and guidelines for disaster managements.
To strengthen the response mechanism of the states and other stakeholders, several programmes are underway for capacity development through National Disaster Management Authority, National Disaster Response Force, National Institute for Disaster Management and State Disaster Management Centre.
