New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a notification assigning responsibilities to various Central Government ministries and departments for disaster management, early warning, prevention, mitigation, preparedness and capacity building, in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Under the notification SO 4253(E), the Central Government has designated specific ministries to handle disasters arising from multiple hazards, collaborating with relevant agencies and stakeholders as outlined in Section 36 of the Act.
 

Key assignments 

  • Ministry of Defence: Responsible for managing avalanches.
  • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: Handles biological disasters such as cold waves, cyclones, tornadoes and earthquakes.
  • Ministry of Earth Sciences: Provides early warning for heat waves, lightning, tsunamis, hailstorms and heavy rainfall.
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare: Monitors frost, cold waves, drought, hailstorms and pest attacks.
  • Ministry of Jal Shakti: Oversees floods, glacial lake outburst floods and urban floods (excluding early warning).
  • Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: Manages urban flood preparedness and mitigation.
  • Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change: Responsible for forest fires, industrial and chemical disasters, and landslides.
  • Ministry of Mines and Department of Atomic Energy: Handles nuclear and radiological emergencies.

The notification, signed by Joint Secretary Dr Rajesh Gupta, formalises a coordinated disaster management framework across India, ensuring that ministries are accountable for monitoring, early warning and mitigation measures specific to various natural and man-made hazards.