The Hindu : Front Page : Parliament approval for Disaster Management Bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005

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Parliament approval for Disaster Management Bill

Special Correspondent

The Bill aims at speedy handling of natural and man-made disasters

NEW DELHI: The Disaster Management Bill, 2005, secured Parliament's approval on Monday with the Lok Sabha unaninmously passing the legislation that has been in the making since the tsunami struck peninsular India last year. The Bill, which aims at speedy handling of natural and man-made disasters, was passed by the Rajya Sabha on November 28.

Replying to the debate, Home Minister Shivraj Patil clarified that the Bill did not prevent the Central Government or State Governments from appointing any parliamentarian or legislator to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) or the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). However, to repeated demands for providing MPs and MLAs ex-officio membership in the Authority, he said it would not be practical given the numerical strength of parliamentarians and legislators. "It would make the Authority unwieldy."

On why the zila parishad president would only co-chair the district disaster management authority unlike the Prime Minister who will chair the NDMA or the Chief Ministers who head the SDMA, Mr. Patil explained that the jurisdiction of a zila parishad president was limited.

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