National Policy

Traditionally, relief in the wake of natural calamities has been treated as the primary responsibility of the States. Successive Finance Commissions have also reiterated this position. Even though the States are primarily responsible for relief activities, the Central Government associates itself with measures aimed at ameliorating the sufferings of the people on account of natural calamities. Towards this end, the Central Government, with its resources, physical and financial does provide the needed help and assistance to buttress relief efforts in the wake of major natural calamities. The dimensions of the response at the level of National Government are determined in accordance with the existing policy of financing the relief expenditure and keeping in view the factors like (i) the gravity of a natural calamity, (ii) the scale of the relief operation necessary, and (iii) the requirements of Central assistance for augmenting the financial resources at the disposal of the State Government.

 Types of Response:

The Central response can be:

(i) Policy response, and

(ii) Administrative response.

Policy response:

The policy response to a natural calamity would be provided by the Prime Minister, Cabinet Committees and the Agriculture Minister. The objectives of policy response would be:

(a) to empathise with the sufferings of the people affected by natural calamity., and

(b) to sub-serve long term and short term policy objectives of the Government.

Administrative response: 

The response of the administration to a situation arising out of a natural calamity can be on account of:

  1. a follow-up of a policy objective of the Government;
  2. the need for an assessment of the situation and for a central response;
  3. States’ requests for central assistance; and
  4. the need for information as a governance objective.

Central response: Central Government’s response, at the policy level, to a natural calamity would lead to Central initiatives in the form of:-

  1. visits of the calamity affected areas by President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries;
  2. activating the administrative machinery for assisting in relief measures; and
  3. setting up a machinery for implementing, reviewing and monitoring of relief measures.

The administrative response at the Central Government level would broadly relate to:-

  1. operational requirements; and
  2. provision of Central assistance as per existing policy.

The operational aspects of the administrative response could, further, be classified into:-

  1. Primary relief functions, and
  2. Secondary relief functions.

The primary relief functions of the Central Government would relate to:

  1. Forecasting and operation of warning system;
  2. Maintenance of uninterrupted communication;
  3. Wide publicity to warnings of impending calamity, disaster preparedness and relief measures through TV, AIR and Newspapers;
  4. Transport with particular reference to evacuation and movement of essential commodities and petroleum products;
  5. Ensuring availability of essential commodities at reasonable prices particularly the commodities through the Public Distribution System;
  6. Ensuring availability of medicines, vaccine and drugs;
  7. Preservation and restoration of physical communication links;
  8. Investments in infrastructure; and
  9. Mobilisation of financial resources.

The secondary functions of the Central Government which supplement the States’ relief efforts, would relate to:

  1. Flood/inflow forecasts from the Central Water Commission;
  2. Relief, rehabilitation and restoration through military aid to civil authorities;
  3. Contingency plans for crops, cattle preservation nutrition and health measures;
  4. Technical and technological inputs for provision of drinking water;
  5. Technical assistance in the water budgeting and water management for various uses; and
  6. Coordination of the activities of the State agencies and voluntary agencies.