Parliament Passes Amendments To Catastrophe Administration Act; Shah Says No Centralisation of Energy – News18
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The modification invoice, which was handed within the Lok Sabha in December 2024, was cleared by voice vote within the Rajya Sabha, with a number of opposition-moved amendments being negated by the Higher Home
Union House Minister Amit Shah (Picture: Sansad TV)
Parliament on Tuesday handed amendments to the Catastrophe Administration Act, 2024, with House Minister Amit Shah asserting that there can be no centralisation of powers or discrimination with states in dealing with disasters.
Replying to the talk on the invoice within the Rajya Sabha, Shah launched a pointy assault on the Congress get together’s previous administration of the Prime Minister’s Aid Fund, alleging a scarcity of accountability and transparency in the course of the earlier UPA regime.
“This invoice ensures transparency, belief credibility and accountability,” he stated and asserted that the amendments to the Act take ahead the combat in opposition to catastrophe from a “reactive strategy to pro-active and revolutionary strategy”.
Itemizing varied initiatives, he stated that India is now nicely regarded in dealing with disasters and the world is recognising its capabilities.
The modification invoice, which was handed within the Lok Sabha in December 2024, was cleared by voice vote within the Rajya Sabha, with a number of opposition-moved amendments being negated by the Higher Home. About 24 members participated within the debate on the modification invoice.
Shah assured the Higher Home and the state governments that there wouldn’t be “centralisation of energy”.
“Our combat in opposition to disasters can’t be carried out with out strengthening the establishments. Until the establishments are made extra accountable and accountable. If one seems on the invoice, you can see we have now carried out each issues,” he stated.
The amendments have been wanted to deal with the brand new sorts of disasters rising within the wake of world warming and local weather change, he stated.
“On account of local weather change, the character and scale of disasters have modified. With that, we have now to vary the way in which we deal with them… To deal with these issues in an efficient method, we have now to make our establishments accountable and supply powers additionally.” The amendments have been mentioned with all stakeholders and the federal government accepted 89 per cent of the solutions it obtained and integrated them within the invoice, he added.
Highlighting key amendments, Shah stated each Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Authority (NDMA) and State Catastrophe Administration Authorities (SDMAs) will turn into “simpler”, bringing extra readability and convergence amongst stakeholders working within the discipline of catastrophe administration.
A nationwide and state database can be created, state can be empowered to ascertain City Catastrophe Administration Authorities (UDMAs) and State Catastrophe Response Forces (SDRFs), he stated.
“This invoice ensures transparency, belief credibility and accountability,” he stated.
The minister stated Part 13 of the invoice removes the pointless provisions for the sake of transparency. “Sure members requested why Part 13 has been eliminated. Since Part 12 has been added, the part 13 turns into pointless.” He additional stated that sections 6 and 10 have been included by way of which the duty of NDMA has been fastened.
Sections 18 and 22 additionally repair the duty of the state govt committees, whereas Part 6 talks about disciplinary motion if there’s a case of negligence and Part 68 specifies the penalty for non-compliance.
The funds can be launched as per the fifteenth Finance Fee, he added.
Addressing issues about fund utilisation, Shah criticised the earlier Congress regime’s administration of the Prime Minister’s Aid Fund.
“Underneath the Congress regime, just one household had management over the Prime Minister’s Aid Fund. The Congress get together president was a member of the Prime Minister’s Aid Fund,” he alleged.
He contrasted this with the present PM-CARE Fund, mentioning that 5 prime ministers, together with finance and defence ministers, are trustees, and no political get together president is concerned in its administration.
“Folks will determine who has extra accountability,” the minister stated, difficult the Congress get together to elucidate its earlier fund administration practices.
On monetary help, Shah highlighted vital the will increase in catastrophe administration funds.
SDRF price range rose from Rs 38,000 crore (2004-14) to Rs 1.24 lakh crore (2014-24), whereas NDRF price range elevated from Rs 28,000 crore to Rs 79,000 crore in the identical interval General, the central funds to states tripled from Rs 66,000 crore to Rs 2 lakh crore, he added.
Itemizing out new initiatives, Shah stated the Modi authorities has created the primary nationwide catastrophe plan, the Subhas Chandra Bose Catastrophe Administration Award, and Nationwide Cyclone Mitigation (Section-I) in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Shah stated that inter-ministerial session now submits experiences a lot sooner in comparison with the earlier regime. He additionally famous that 16 battalions of the Nationwide Catastrophe Response Drive (NDRF) are actually operational and have performed aid operations in nations like Nepal, Turkey, and Vietnam.
The House Minister asserted that below Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s management, India is advancing in the direction of reaching zero casualties throughout disasters.
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – PTI)
