Ministry of Home Affairs assigns disaster management responsibilities to ministries

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a notification assigning responsibilities to various Central Government ministries and departments for disaster management, early warning, prevention, mitigation, preparedness and capacity-building, in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

The gazette notification was issued on September 22.

Under this, the Ministry of Defence has been given the responsibility for managing avalanches and oil spills, while the Health Ministry has been assigned to handle biological disasters such as cold waves, cyclones, tornadoes and earthquakes.

At the same time, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has been directed to oversee floods, glacial lake outburst floods and urban floods (excluding early warning).

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has been directed to manage urban flood preparedness and mitigation.

The responsibility for managing forest fires, industrial and chemical disasters, and landslides has been designated to the Ministry of Environment and Forests; while the Ministry of Mines and Department of Atomic Energy will be responsible for sending early warning signals and mitigating disasters related to landslides and nuclear as well as radiological emergencies, respectively.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences will provide early warning for heat waves, lightning, tsunamis, hailstorms and heavy rainfall.

The Agriculture Ministry will monitor frost, cold waves, drought, hailstorms and pest attacks.

The notification formalises a coordinated disaster management framework across India, ensuring that ministries are accountable for monitoring, early warning and mitigation measures specific to various natural and man-made hazards.