Parliament adjourned till Dec 2 amid opposition protests

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will table the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha on Friday for consideration and passage. In the Rajya Sabha, 44 private bills are set for introduction, and five bills will be considered for passage.

The Union government introduced the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha on August 1, 2024. This bill seeks to amend the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which was enacted to establish a framework for effective disaster management across the country. The Act aimed to create institutional mechanisms for drafting and monitoring disaster management plans, implementing preventive and mitigation measures, and ensuring a coordinated and prompt response to disasters and potential disaster situations.

The proposed amendments aim to bring clarity and streamline the roles of disaster management authorities and committees. They also seek to provide statutory recognition to pre-existing bodies like the National Crisis Management Committee and the High-Level Committee.

Additionally, the bill empowers the National Disaster Management Authority and State Disaster Management Authorities to prepare disaster management plans at the national and state levels, replacing the responsibilities currently handled by the National Executive Committee and State Executive Committees. The bill also proposes the creation of a comprehensive disaster database at the national and state levels.

The first session of the Winter Parliament commenced on November 25, with both Houses getting adjourned fairly early due to disruptions. The session is scheduled to run until December 20.