Amit Shah rules out centralisation of power for disaster management

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”.