Raj govt forms disaster mgmt authorities in 8 new districts

Jaipur: In a significant move to bolster local disaster preparedness and ensure swift response during emergencies, the state govt has constituted District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) for eight newly created districts—Phalodi, Balotra, Beawar, Salumber, Deeg, Didwana-Kuchaman, Khairthal-Tijara and Kotputli-Behror.
The decision, issued by the department of disaster management, relief and civil defence, aims to decentralise disaster planning and management, making district-level administration more self-reliant in handling natural and man-made calamities.
Joint secretary of the department, Bhagwant Singh, informed that each DDMA will be chaired by the respective district collector, while the zila parishad chief will act as the co-chairperson. The authority will also include the chief executive officer of the zila parishad, the superintendent of police, and senior-most officials from the public works and water resources departments as members. The additional district magistrate will serve as the chief executive officer of the authority.
"The primary role of the district disaster management authority is to plan, coordinate, and implement disaster risk reduction strategies, and to ensure effective disaster response and recovery operations. Its key functions include preparing and updating the district disaster management plan, ensuring early warning systems and communication strategies are in place, and coordinating with different departments for resource mobilisation during emergencies," said an official.
Additionally, the authority is responsible for organising training and awareness programmes for disaster preparedness, conducting mock drills and vulnerability assessments at the local level, and supervising rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts post-disaster. Members of Parliament elected from the district, MLAs representing the region, and senior-most officers of the public health engineering department, medical, and animal husbandry departments will serve as permanent invitees. The Chairperson may also invite any individual as a special invitee based on specific needs or circumstances. The authority has the flexibility to include officers from other district-level govt departments as required.