Revision summary
Disasters are natural (geo, hydro, met, climate, biological) or human-induced (industrial, nuclear, fire). Slow-onset drought and sudden cyclones need different tools. India’s frame is the Disaster Management Act, 2005, with NDMA, SDMAs, DDMAs, and NDRF. Sendai Framework and the PM’s Ten-Point Agenda guide the prevent–respond–rebuild cycle. IMD/INCOIS/CWC warnings and NDRF/SDRF funds work only with trained local responders.
Model answer
Introduction
A disaster is a serious disruption that exceeds a community’s ability to cope. Types must be named, then India’s management chain from the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to the last-mile volunteer.
Body
Types
- Natural: geophysical (earthquake, tsunami, volcano), hydrological (flood, landslide), meteorological (cyclone, storm), climatological (drought, heatwave, cold wave), and biological (epidemic, locust).
- Human-induced or technological: industrial chemical leaks, nuclear accident, transport crash, urban fire, and stampedes.
- Slow-onset (drought) and sudden-onset (cyclone) need different tools; climate change is raising the frequency of hydro-met events in India.
Management in India
- The Disaster Management Act, 2005, creates the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), SDMAs, and DDMAs, with a National Executive Committee and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
- Cycle: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, relief, and reconstruction — Sendai Framework priorities and the Prime Minister’s Ten-Point Agenda on DRR sit on that cycle.
- Finance: National Disaster Response Fund / State Disaster Response Fund (now under the Disaster Management Act window) and mitigation funds; early warning from IMD, INCOIS, and CWC.
- Community first responders, Aapda Mitra, and civil defence are the last mile; a law without local drills does not manage the disaster.
Flow diagram
flowchart TD T[Types natural human] --> C[DM Act 2005] C --> N[NDMA SDMA DDMA] C --> R[NDRF SDRF] C --> W[IMD INCOIS CWC warn] N --> M[Mitigate respond rebuild] R[R] --> M[M] W[W] --> M[M] S[Sendai PM 10-point] --> M
Conclusion
Disasters are natural and human-induced, slow or sudden. India manages them through the DM Act, 2005, NDMA–SDMA–NDRF, Sendai-aligned cycles, and warning-finance rails; the elucidation is complete only when the village volunteer is trained.
Quick related
Students also ask
-
“Inclusive growth has now become the central point of developmental strategy.” Discuss the statement in the context of India. Also suggest remedial actions to achieve this growth.
Next question in the 2022 paper (Q11). View answer →
-
Is an epidemic a disaster in this typology?
Yes. Biological events such as epidemics are classed as natural/biological disasters in NDMA typology.
-
Does NDMA replace State governments?
No. SDMAs and DDMAs own State and district response; NDMA sets national guidelines and coordinates.
Same topic · past papers
UPPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
More from this paper
Q1 · UPSC Mains 2022 · UPGS3 · 8 marks · Solution
What do you understand by digital agriculture? Comment on its benefits.
Agriculture, irrigation and marketing
Digital agriculture uses data, sensors, satellites, and public IDs to farm and sell. AgriStack, Digital Agriculture Mission, NeGP-A, and e-NAM are the named rails. PM-KISAN DBT and insurance claims cut leakage when accounts exist. Advice and traceability help yield and export where lots and logistics run. The comment: tools help; incomplete land, power, and last mile cap the gain.
Q2 · UPSC Mains 2022 · UPGS3 · 8 marks · Solution
What is supply chain management? Highlight its importance in the context of food processing industry in India.
Food processing
Supply chain management coordinates farm lot, process, store, and delivery as one system. Food processing is perishable, so cold chain and contracts decide utilisation. PMKSY, PMFME, Operation Greens, and e-NAM are the named Union tools. FSSAI and APEDA lots need reefer and labs, not only a park notification. Without the chain, waste stays high and plants idle.
Q3 · UPSC Mains 2022 · UPGS3 · 8 marks · Solution
Explain the pillars of PM Gati Shakti Yojana. Do you think that it will create competitiveness and better connectivity? Discuss.
Economic planning and NITI Aayog
PM Gati Shakti is a 2021 National Master Plan GIS layer for multi-modal infrastructure. Six pillars: comprehensiveness, prioritization, optimization, synchronization, analytical, dynamic. Bharatmala, Sagarmala, DFCs, and NIP are the named build programmes it tries to align. Connectivity and competitiveness improve if last-mile rail, power, and clearances join the map. A GIS platform without execution does not cut logistics cost by itself.