Coherent response needed for disaster risk management: N.K. Singh

With disasters becoming more frequent and severe, 15th Finance Commission Chairman N.K. Singh on Monday said there has to be a coherent response in financing of disaster risk management by public, private and multilateral institutions.

Speaking at a workshop, Singh highlighted the changing paradigm of disaster management in the wake of changed trilogy of risk, responsibility and resources due to increased number of stakeholders and complexity, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

He also highlighted the need to look into mitigation aspect in disaster management.

Singh made his remarks on the inaugural day of a two-day international workshop on Financing Disaster Risk Management in India, jointly organised by the Finance Commission, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), UNDP and the World Bank.

The Ministry said the workshop was being organised in context of increasing frequency and severity of disasters. The Finance Commission is responsible for advising the government on the nature and form of grants-in-aid to the states, the statement said.

"Disaster Relief is one of the major purposes for which grants are provided to the states and is increasingly taking up a larger percentage of grants due to the rising frequency and intensity of disasters every year," the Finance Ministry said.

P.K. Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, opined that 'business as usual' will not work.

"There is a steady paradigm shift from relief and response centric approach to mitigation, adaptation and preparedness," Mishra said.

--IANS

mgu/pgh/sed