National Disaster Management Agency, NDMA - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

ANSWER: School safety

Explanation:
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 13th Formation Day of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on 28th Sept 2017.

The theme of this year’s formation day is ‘School Safety’.

India received appreciation at NDMA’s work at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on Disaster management held in Kyrgyzstan.

NDMA has done good work for enhancing the disaster management capabilities.

The Home Minister said that he had also moved a proposal to organise a Joint Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue exercise to improve collective preparedness and this proposal was accepted unanimously by all the members of the SCO.

NDMA was congratulated for focussing on integrating children in their disaster management exercise.

NDMA was also lauded for making efforts for disaster safety and he expressed belief that NDMA will fulfil dream of a ‘Safe India’.

Our climatic conditions and density of population make us prone to disasters. He added that 2% of GDP is lost due to disasters.

There is a paradigm shift from relief-centric approach to holistic approach towards disasters.

Regarding the theme of ‘School safety’ a lot of school infrastructure is lost in disasters and education services also get affected in post-disaster phase. Children become more vulnerable, so special care and attention needs to be given to them.

India had hosted the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in New Delhi which was first such conference after Sendai framework.

New Delhi Declaration, Asian Regional Plan were adopted during the AMCDRR, 2016.

National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction meeting was held in New Delhi in May this year.

India is hosting first ‘BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise- 2017’ from 10th-13th October this year.

India’s efforts in conducting joint exercise by SAARC nations (SAADMEx) to respond to simulated disaster situations, urban flooding and cyclones are appreciable.

A comprehensive plan to mitigate the effects of earthquake and landslides is also being formed.

On the occasion, the Union Home Minster also released National Disaster Management Guidelines on Boat Safety and Cultural Heritage Sites & Precincts.

A study report on “Tamil Nadu floods: Lessons learnt and best practices’’ was also released by Shri Rajnath Singh.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Building Materials Technology Promotion Council (BMPTC) have come out with 'easy to use' earthquake hazard zoning maps at the country, state and district-level incorporating tehsil level features so that earthquake resistant constructions could be made to avoid destruction during natural calamity.
• With the use of this map, different authorities would be able to identify the areas where there was a great possibility of earthquake and accordingly earthquake resistant structures could be erected.
• The colour coded maps easily convey location in five different zones of earthquake intensity which helps in planning for disaster resistant construction with necessary technical assistance.
• BMPTC of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) has prepared these maps at the behest of NDMA using the data available with the Survey of India, Geological Survey of India, Meteorological Department and Census of India.
• The additional features of these maps include housing and population data, railway lines, expressways and highways, rivers, waterbodies and geological fault lines.

ANSWER: 11th

Explanation:
On this day, Addl. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr. P. K Mishra while presiding as the Chief Guest for Valedictory session, praised the NDMA for relief and rehab efforts in Kashmir and quake hit Nepal. This was followed by technical sessions to examine issues pertaining to four major calamities, namely, cyclone, earthquake, floods and landslides. The 11th Formation Day was observed at Vigyan Bhawan marketing the completion of 10 years of efforts to strengthen and improve disaster risk reduction.