TL:DR: India’s disaster management framework is shifting from post-disaster relief towards prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The 261st Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Home Affairs talks about Disaster Management and highlights rising state-level financing, but also points to gaps in local disaster institutions, hazard planning, early warnings and last-mile response. The Committee recommends stronger enforcement of risk-based planning, wider coverage of disaster funds, more targeted warning systems and greater community-level preparedness.

 Context

India is among the world’s most disaster-prone countries due to its diverse geography and geo-climatic conditions. Its landscape spans the fragile Himalayas, extensive coastlines, arid regions and major river systems, creating exposure to multiple hazards. Over 58% of India’s landmass is earthquake-prone, nearly 12% faces severe river floods and erosion, 68% of cultivable areas are vulnerable to drought, and over 5,700 km of coastline is exposed to cyclones and tsunamis.

The need for proactive disaster risk reduction is further highlighted by transboundary hazards. The catastrophic glacier collapse and debris avalanche in Nepal on 26 August 2026 triggered flash floods in the Trishuli River basin, causing widespread destruction and affecting downstream areas in India.

Against this backdrop, the 261^st  Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Home Affairs on Disaster Management, presented to Parliament in August 2026, assesses India’s disaster governance framework. It examines the shift from reactive relief to proactive, risk-informed and technology-driven disaster management, including the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025.

Who compiles this data?
The data presented in the standing committee report was systematically reviewed. The report draws directly on official data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Disaster Relief Funds, National Disaster Management Authority, and the 16th Finance Commission, among others. 

Where can I download clean & structured data related to this?

Clean, structured, and ready-to-use collection of datasets related to Allocation and Release of Funds from State Disaster Relief Funds and National Disaster Relief Funds is available on Dataful. Dataful also provides comprehensive data on damage caused and lives lost due to natural disasters.

Key Observations

Financial Scaling and Policy Shifts

• India’s disaster management framework has gradually shifted from post-disaster relief to a more proactive approach focused on reducing risks before disasters occur. The 16th Finance Commission (2026–31) has allocated a record ₹2,83,807 crore to national and state disaster management funds, marking a significant increase from the ₹1,60,153 crore (SDRMF) and ₹68,463 crore (NDRMF) allocated during the 15th Finance Commission period (2021–26).

• Analysis of central fund releases over 2005–2025 shows a growing role for states in disaster management. Annual releases under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) increased from ₹2,623 crore in 2005–06 to a record ₹20,264 crore in 2024–25. In contrast, National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) releases have varied sharply based on disaster occurrences, peaking at ₹18,531 crore in 2019–20. The data indicates a clear shift toward greater state-level financing, with a larger share of response funds released directly to states.

• While central disbursements under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) remained consistently high at 95% to 100% between 2021 and 2025, releases for the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) lagged at around 80%. This delay is mainly due to states taking time to set up mitigation funds and the NDMA issuing guidelines late.

Institutional, Legal, and Hazard Coverage Bottlenecks

• Many states have been slow to create the local mechanisms required by law, with only one state setting up an Urban Disaster Management Authority (UDMA), 7 States/UTs lacking dedicated State Disaster Response Forces (SDRFs), and just 10 out of 36 States/UTs updated their local laws to align with the 2019 Model Fire Services Bill.

• While the 16^th Finance Commission recommended adding heatwaves and lightning to the national list, they have historically been treated as state-specific hazards. This has prevented states from uniformly accessing standard central relief and mitigation funds for these disasters, even though lightning alone accounts for over 35% of natural hazard deaths in the country.

• Government agencies have mapped large parts of the country, including 4.3 lakh sq. km for landslide risk. However, these hazard maps are often not legally enforced in local planning. As a result, major construction and infrastructure projects continue in high-risk hill regions and floodplains without mandatory disaster risk assessments.

Operational Realities and Last-Mile Readiness

• Operational data from 2021 to 2025 shows that NDRF teams spend most of their time responding to water-related disasters. Floods and monsoons led to 22,068 rescues and 1,28,651 evacuations, while cyclones caused 1,689 rescues and 11,821 evacuations. This heavy load underscores why state-level response teams (SDRFs) must be operationalised and strengthened.

• The CAP-SACHET system has sent over 8,000 crore text alert messages across the country. However, most warnings are still sent at the district level rather than for specific villages or urban wards. They also lack practical, actionable details, such as crop-loss predictions for farmers.

• Local citizens are almost always the first to help when a disaster strikes. After training 1,00,000 volunteers under the Aapda Mitra scheme, the government launched the Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme (YAMS) to train 2,37,326 youth volunteers (from NCC, NSS, NYKS, and Scouts) across 315 districts.

Key Recommendations of the Committee

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to issue time-bound advisories requiring states to establish UDMAs in all major cities, ensure the remaining seven States/UTs set up dedicated SDRF teams, and track nationwide adoption of the 2019 Model Fire Services Bill.

• The Ministry should immediately add heatwaves and lightning to the official national list of disasters under the SDRF framework. Additionally, NDMA should mandate disaster plan updates every two years and cap SDRF releases if states hold excessive unspent balances.

• Multi-hazard mapping (covering earthquakes, floods, and landslides) must be made legally binding in town planning and building laws. Mandatory Disaster Risk Impact Assessments (DRIAs) should be required before approving major development projects.

• Early warning systems should shift from broad district-level alerts to village- and ward-level warnings that offer practical advice, such as crop-loss predictions. At the same time, community volunteer programs like Aapda Mitra and Yuva Aapda Mitra should be expanded with better equipment and support.

• The National Policy on Disaster Management (2009) must undergo a formal, comprehensive review to account for climate change impacts, urbanisation threats, and AI-assisted forecasting advancements.

• A comprehensive national framework should be set up to monitor and clear encroachments from riverbeds and floodplains, while requiring river basin-level flood management plans to regulate dam water releases across states.

• Strict enforcement of earthquake-resistant building codes must be ensured alongside a time-bound retrofitting program for critical infrastructure like hospitals, schools, and power plants in high-risk seismic zones.

• A comprehensive regulatory and real-time tracking framework—including mandatory GPS monitoring and specialised HAZMAT response teams—should be created for transporting hazardous chemicals safely across major transport corridors.

• The India Disaster Resource Network (IDRN) should be upgraded to mandate real-time quarterly updates from districts and be directly connected to emergency services like 112, fire, and hospitals.

• Post-Disaster Needs Assessments (PDNAs) need to be standardised across states with fixed timelines and templates to ensure recovery grants align accurately with actual ground damages.

Key numbers

• ₹2,83,807 crore – Allocated for disaster management under the 16th Finance Commission (2026–31)

• ₹20,264 crore – SDRF releases in 2024–25, up from ₹2,623 crore in 2005–06

• 35%+ is the Share of natural hazard deaths attributed to lightning

• 22,068 rescues & 1,28,651 evacuations – By NDRF teams during floods and monsoons, 2021–25