Why this matters

India lives with many hazards—cyclones on two coasts, earthquakes across several zones, floods and landslides in hills and plains, heat waves, lightning, forest fires and coastal erosion. Climate change is making them stronger and more frequent. The national approach is shifting from relief after a disaster to reducing risk before it strikes and building back better after damage. This people-first shift is anchored in law, policy and finance, not only in emergency response.

The compass and the legal frame 

• Disaster Management Act, 2005: creates the National Disaster Management Authority, State authorities, the National Disaster Response Force, and mandates national, state and district plans.
• National Policy on Disaster Management, 2009: turns the law into principles—prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
• Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015–2030: global targets India follows—fewer deaths and people affected, lower economic loss, lower damage to critical infrastructure, stronger early warning, and local risk plans.
• Prime Minister’s Ten-Point Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction, 2016: asks every sector to plan with risk in mind; promotes insurance for the poor and small businesses; values women’s leadership and local knowledge; pushes open risk maps, technology and regional cooperation.
• Finance shift under the Fifteenth Finance Commission: alongside response funds, Mitigation Funds at national and state level are being operationalised so that money also builds flood protection, cyclone shelters, slope safety, and safer schools and hospitals.

What India is doing 

1) Warn early, warn everyone

• Cyclone early warning and mass evacuation along the east coast now save many lives; shelters double as schools and community halls.
• Heat Action Plans in cities change work hours, open cooling centres and push public alerts; guidelines on heat management guide States.
• Lightning alerts through mobile messages and village sirens reduce deaths among farmers and school children.
• Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre in Hyderabad serves the Indian Ocean region with sea-level buoys and rapid bulletins.
• Flood forecasting by the Central Water Commission uses real-time gauges and inundation maps for vulnerable basins.
• Cell-broadcast public warning is being rolled out so alerts reach all phones in an affected area at once.

2) Build strong and keep lifelines running

• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (launched by India) helps design roads, bridges, power lines and health facilities that can withstand shocks.
• National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project strengthens embankments, salinity barriers and multi-purpose shelters.
• Safety audits and retrofits of hospitals, schools, police stations and other lifeline buildings are expanding in high-risk zones, guided by Indian Standards for hazard-resistant design and the National Building Code.

3) Use nature as protection

• Mangrove and wetland restoration (including recent programmes to expand mangrove cover) reduce storm surge and urban flooding.
• Watershed treatment and soil-moisture conservation lower drought impact, landslides and siltation, while protecting drinking-water sources and farm incomes.

4) Prepare people and systems

• The National Disaster Response Force and State forces train in search-and-rescue, first aid and shelter management; districts run mock drills using the Incident Response System so roles are clear before a crisis.
• Local body plans and city by-laws now add hazard-resistant design, fire safety, slope protection and drainage norms. Integrated command centres under urban missions support coordinated response.
• Insurance such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana spreads risk for farm families after floods, hail and cyclones.
  

Recent directions and examples to know

• Cyclone missions on the east coast: pre-positioned shelters, trained volunteers and early evacuation have sharply reduced deaths during landfalls.
• Landslide risk mapping in the Himalaya and the Western Ghats is identifying slopes for treatment.
• Forest-fire alerts use satellite hot-spots and community fire lines before peak season.
• School and hospital safety audits focus on safe exits, roof anchors, backup power and water.

Gaps that still hurt outcomes

• Last-mile communication: alerts fail to reach remote hamlets or are not understood; community volunteers and local-language messages must improve.
• Urban drainage and encroachments: clogged channels and construction on floodplains cause repeat flooding; maintenance and enforcement are as vital as new projects.
• Building-code compliance: many small buildings are not engineered; owners need guidance and low-cost retrofits.
• Inclusion: elderly persons, persons with disabilities, women, children and migrant workers are still under-served in drills, shelters and relief lists.
• Open data: hazard maps, rainfall, river and tide records are scattered; a single open portal in each State would speed planning and accountability.

What India should do next 

• Early-warning for all: universal cell-broadcast and siren coverage; monthly tests with plain “what to do” messages.
• Risk-proof services: time-bound retrofitting of hospitals, schools, telecom towers, water and power; place mobile generators and spare parts locally.
• Protect natural buffers: secure mangroves, wetlands and floodplains; link encroachment removal with fair housing support.
• Risk-smart cities: drainage master-plans, heat protocols, hill-slope regulations; regular drills in markets, schools and factories.
• Train communities: certify two volunteers per hundred residents in first aid, light search-and-rescue and shelter management.
• Fair finance and insurance: widen crop, livestock and low-premium home insurance; reward households and small firms that retrofit.
• Learn after each event: publish a short “what worked, what failed” note within thirty days—plain language, publicly available.

Key terms

• Disaster risk reduction: steps taken before a hazard strikes to reduce loss of life and damage.
• Mitigation: physical or policy actions that reduce impact (raised embankments, safer building design).
• Preparedness: plans, drills, stockpiles and trained teams kept ready for emergencies.
• Early-warning system: the chain from monitoring to risk maps to alerts to community action.
• Build back better: reconstructing in safer locations or with stronger design after damage.
• Nature-based solutions: using mangroves, dunes and wetlands for protection.
• Lifeline infrastructure: facilities that must keep working during disasters—hospitals, schools, water, power, roads and telecom.

Exam hook

Key takeaways

• The direction is risk-informed development under the Disaster Management Act, the National Policy on Disaster Management, the Sendai Framework and the Prime Minister’s Ten-Point Agenda.
• Finance is shifting towards mitigation and preparedness, including Mitigation Funds at national and state level.
• Priority actions: universal early-warning, resilient lifelines, nature-based buffers, community training, and open data to guide enforcement and maintenance.

UPSC Mains (150 words)
“India’s disaster policy is moving from post-relief to risk-informed development. Explain how early warning, resilient infrastructure, nature-based buffers and inclusive local institutions—backed by the Disaster Management Act, the Sendai Framework and the Prime Minister’s Ten-Point Agenda—can cut losses. Identify two practical steps to close last-mile gaps in cities and villages.”

UPSC Prelims (MCQ)
Q. Which of the following are correctly matched with India’s disaster-risk shift?

1. Disaster Management Act, 2005 — creates authorities and the National Disaster Response Force
   
2. Sendai Framework, 2015–2030 — sets targets on deaths, economic loss, infrastructure safety and early warning
   
3. Prime Minister’s Ten-Point Agenda, 2016 — asks all sectors to plan with risk in mind and promotes insurance and local leadership

Choose the correct answer:

(A) 1 and 2 only

(B) 2 and 3 only

(C) 1 and 3 only

(D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D

One-line wrap
India’s road to resilience is people-first: warn early, build strong, protect nature, train communities, fund mitigation, and learn after every event.