Parliament passed amendments to the Disaster Management Act, 2024, with Home Minister Amit Shah asserting that there will be no centralisation of powers or discrimination with states in handling disasters.

The amendment bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha in December 2024, was cleared by voice vote in the Rajya Sabha, with several opposition-moved amendments being negated by the Upper House.

Important emendments 

• Preparation of Disaster Management Plans: Shifts the responsibility of preparing national and state disaster management plans from the National and State Executive Committees to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), respectively. 
• Expanded Functions of NDMA and SDMAs: Adds responsibilities such as :
• Conducting periodic assessments of disaster risks, including emerging risks from extreme climate events.
• Providing technical assistance to subordinate authorities.
• Recommending guidelines for minimum standards of relief.
• Developing national and state disaster databases containing information on disaster risks, fund allocations, and preparedness plans. 
• Urban Disaster Management Authorities: Empowers state governments to establish Urban Disaster Management Authorities for state capitals and cities with municipal corporations, comprising the Municipal Commissioner as chairperson and the District Collector as vice-chairperson. These authorities are tasked with preparing and implementing disaster management plans for their respective areas. 
• State Disaster Response Force (SDRF): Authorizes state governments to constitute SDRFs, defining their functions and prescribing terms of service for members, to provide specialized responses to disaster situations. 
• Statutory Status to Existing Committees: Grants statutory status to the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) and the High-Level Committee (HLC). The NCMC will act as the nodal body for major disasters with national ramifications, while the HLC will approve financial assistance to state governments during disasters. 
• Appointments to NDMA: Empowers the NDMA to specify the number and category of officers and employees, with prior approval from the central government, and to appoint experts and consultants as necessary. 

These amendments aim to decentralize disaster management, enhance preparedness and response mechanisms, and integrate technological and local governance improvements into India's disaster management framework.