India’s ‘Zero Casualty’ Push: Amit Shah Calls for Disaster-Resilient Villages and Cities

India is moving towards a new era of “zero casualty” disaster management, with the government shifting its focus from post-disaster relief to prevention, preparedness, early warning and rapid response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said.

Chairing the third meeting of the Governing Body of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in New Delhi, Shah said the country’s disaster-management strategy has undergone a major transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said the objective is no longer limited to providing relief after a disaster but to ensure that disasters cause the minimum possible loss of life and property.

Focus shifts from relief to prevention

Shah said India has successfully managed several disasters with zero casualties and that this experience should now become the benchmark for disaster-management systems across the country.

The government’s objective, he said, is to build disaster-resilient villages and cities, backed by stronger preparedness, scientific planning and coordinated action by government agencies.

He called for a “whole-of-government” approach, with every department playing a defined role in disaster preparedness and response.

Five lakh villages in focus

Shah emphasised the need to make nearly five lakh villages across the country disaster resilient. He said India should learn from international experience while also sharing its own expertise and successful practices with other countries.

NIDM, he said, should emerge as a globally recognised institution for disaster-management research, training and innovation.

Climate change could create new risks

The Home Minister warned that global warming and climate change could increase disaster risks in the coming years. Technological and scientific changes could also create new categories of disasters.

He stressed that environmental protection and disaster-risk reduction must therefore go hand in hand.

Scientific assessment after every major disaster

Shah directed that every major disaster should be followed by a detailed scientific assessment to determine the causes of damage and identify measures to prevent similar losses in the future.

Teams involving the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), NIDM, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Forces (SDRF) should undertake such assessments and prepare detailed reports.

Disaster-management cells in every department

The Home Minister called for dedicated disaster-management cells in government departments and directed departmental heads to review their functioning at least once every three months.

He also stressed that disaster-management training must be practical and outcome-oriented rather than a routine exercise.

Disaster funds substantially increased

Shah highlighted the significant increase in government spending on disaster management. He said allocations under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) have increased nearly fourfold, while the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) allocation has risen nearly threefold.

Around ₹2.5 lakh crore has been spent on disaster management over the past 11 years, he said.

New institutional framework

The government has also introduced several institutional reforms, including amendments to the Disaster Management Act, the creation of urban disaster-management authorities and digital disaster databases at the national and state levels.

Shah said the National Crisis Management Committee has also been given statutory status.

He further highlighted provisions made by the 16th Finance Commission, which has provided around ₹2 lakh crore for the current period.

Technology and education to strengthen preparedness

Shah called for wider use of digital tools and disaster-management applications in educational institutions.

He said awareness and preparedness should begin at the grassroots level, with schools, colleges and universities playing an important role in creating a disaster-conscious society.

He also directed the Agriculture Department to develop permanent preparedness against locust attacks originating from Pakistan, drawing upon successful international systems and adapting them to Indian conditions.

NIDM to strengthen research and innovation

Shah said NIDM should deepen cooperation with universities and research institutions and focus on emerging disaster risks.

The institute should study international best practices, conduct research relevant to India’s conditions and translate knowledge into practical capabilities on the ground.

The broader objective, Shah said, is to transform knowledge into capacity, capacity into preparedness and preparedness into results.

The government’s emerging disaster-management framework therefore places the emphasis firmly on anticipation rather than reaction — with “Zero Casualty” becoming an increasingly important measure of India’s preparedness for natural and man-made disasters.