The Lok Sabha passed the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 Thursday through a voice vote, which seeks to amend the existing Disaster Management Act, 2005. The Bill, introduced in Lok Sabha on August 1 this year, proposes creation of disaster databases at national and state level; constitution of Urban Disaster Management Authority for state capital and large cities having municipal corporation, and constitution of State Disaster Response Force by the state governments. MoS for Home, Nityanand Rai, said the Bill is aimed at bringing clarity and uniformity in the role of various institutions at national, state and district level. When Rai was replying to the discussion, DMK members came into the well of the House and raised slogans. Rai said that the Centre has provided `856 crore under SDRF and `276 under NDRF to TN during 2023-24. In FY 2024-25, the Centre has provided `944 crore to the state, he said. Urging the Opposition members to pass the Bill unanimously, he said, “Disaster is not for any party, it is not for any person, it is not for any area. When a disaster hits, it hits the country as a whole.” Opposing the Bill, DMK member Kanimozhi said, “This Bill needs more deliberations, debate, and discussion before it is brought to this House.” Observing that disaster management is a state subject, she said, “Like most of the Bills passed by the NDA, this Bill is also detrimental to the rights of the states. Cooperative federalism — which you keep talking about — has become confrontational federalism in reality.” “The Bill fails to ensure disaster relief as a ‘justiciable right’. Tamil Nadu has had to go to the Supreme Court for aid after it was affected very badly by the cyclone Michaung,” she said. Shiv Sena (UBT) member Anil Yeshwant Desai said the Bill grants substantial rule-making and regulatory powers to the Centre in the form of NDMA. “This will infringe upon the rights of the state which will lead to bureaucratic overlap,” he said. Congress member Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka said, “. the Bill undermines the principle of cooperative federalism enshrined in the Constitution.” TMC member Sougata Roy said, “This Bill is the product of the Bill brought by the UPA-I in 2005. A taskforce was formed in 2011. Then, the Covid-19 pandemic came, and one expert committee was formed in 2020. After that, the Bill has now come. So, the Bill has been long delayed, which is the failure of the government.” Supporting the Bill, TDP member Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) said it is a timely legislation to address the increasing frequency of natural disasters. BJP member Anil Baluni said all aspects have been included in the Bill and it also provides for making the coordination among all stakeholders more effective. JD(U) member Dinesh Chandra Yadav said that Centre should provide adequate funding to Bihar as per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.
