Lok Sabha Passes Disaster Management Amendment Bill

The Lok Sabha has approved the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aimed at enhancing disaster response mechanisms at both national and state levels, despite opposition concerns regarding the bill's focus on creating more organizations. Concurrently, the World Bank emphasizes the critical need for integrating disaster risk into public financial management systems to counter the escalating fiscal risks from climate-induced disasters, proposing a framework called Disaster Risk-Based Budgeting (DRBB). This approach seeks to embed disaster risk considerations into the entire government budget cycle, enabling better preparedness and response strategies. In contrast, Mississippi faces significant challenges from natural disasters, with historical data ranking it as one of the most affected states, while recent political debates have delayed federal disaster relief funding amid allegations regarding mismanagement. FEMA has been operating under strained resources, often resorting to emergency funding measures, highlighting the need for a more sustainable funding strategy for disaster management. Overall, these developments underscore the urgency of proactive disaster risk management and adequate funding to enhance resilience against future calamities.