On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers, to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India. The act provides key functions of the NDMA and the SDMAs
Amendment (2024) to the Disaster Management (DM) Act 2005
On 12th December 2024, the Lok Sabha and on 25th March 2025, the Rajya Sabha passed the bill to amend the Disaster Management Act 2005. The amendment adds certain functions to the NDMA and SDMAs, recognizing risks from extreme climate events, recommending guidelines for minimum standards of relief, and preparing national and state databases respectively. It empowers state governments to form separate Urban Disaster Management Authorities for state capitals and cities with a municipal corporation. The Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 has been officially notified by the Government of India. It is to be referred to and applied in conjunction with the original Disaster Management Act, 2005.