He emphasised that the bill would define the roles and responsibilities of various organisations involved in disaster management, ensuring better coordination and uniformity in responses.Opposition members, particularly from Kerala, criticised the Centre’s handling of the disaster in Wayanad, accusing it of insensitivity. Shah, however, dismissed the allegations, stating that the bill does not infringe on the federal structure.“The primary responsibility for disaster management lies with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), which operates under the state government,” he said.Highlighting the decentralised approach to disaster response funding, Shah noted that financial assistance would be allocated at state and district levels. “If there was bias, it was because of the law made by the UPA government in 2005. We have not changed that framework. In fact, we have provided states with more financial assistance than what the Finance Commission had recommended,” he said.Shah also reiterated that disaster management is a shared responsibility between the Centre and the states. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 10-point agenda on disaster risk reduction has been accepted by over 40 countries. This is not just the Centre’s responsibility, it involves state governments, local bodies and every citizen,” he added.
Source link
