Panchayats to Lead Disaster Mitigation under New National Project
Rs.507 Crore Allocated for Local-Level Disaster Management
New Delhi: In a significant move to bring disaster preparedness to the grassroots, the Union Home Ministry, through a High-Level Committee chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, today approved Rs.507.37 crore for the National Project for Strengthening Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Panchayati Raj Institutions across 20 states. The initiative, implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), is designed to translate the vision of a disaster-resilient India into tangible local action, embedding resilience into governance structures and development planning at the Panchayat level.
The programme is anchored in the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) framework, launched in 2021, which has provided a dedicated financial mechanism to support both preventive and responsive disaster management measures across the country. While Panchayati Raj Institutions have historically been involved in disaster mitigation through smaller state-led initiatives, pilot projects, and community awareness programmes, this project represents the first large-scale, centrally coordinated effort specifically targeting Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI). Previous efforts, often limited in scope, focused on community awareness, early warning systems, mock drills, and incorporating DRR into Gram Panchayat development plans, but lacked a unified national framework and dedicated central funding.
The current project seeks to address these gaps through a structured approach. It will cover 81 disaster-prone districts across 20 states and additionally develop 20 Gram Panchayats as replicable models, focusing on major hazards and serving as templates for wider adoption. By doing so, the programme aims to ensure that disaster risk reduction is not merely a policy statement but an operational reality at the community level.
The total approved outlay of Rs. 507.37 crore is distributed carefully to involve both the Centre and the states. Rs.273.38 crore will come from the central NDMF, with states contributing Rs.30.37 crore. Another Rs.151.47 crore will be provided by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, with Rs. 52.15 crore from the states. This financial structure reflects a shared commitment between the Centre and state governments, emphasising joint responsibility in strengthening local disaster resilience.
The activities envisaged under the project are extensive and structured. They include institutional strengthening and policy integration in DRR development planning by Panchayati Raj Institutions, capacity building and awareness generation for State and District Disaster Management Authorities, as well as PRI members through Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns, and fostering collaboration for effective coordination in local disaster mitigation efforts. In essence, the programme is designed not only to equip Panchayats with tools and knowledge but also to embed DRR into the operational culture of local governance.
The timing of this project is significant, coming on top of substantial releases under existing disaster management frameworks. During the financial year 2025–26, the Central Government has already released Rs.16,118 crore to 28 states under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs.2,854.18 crore to 18 states under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Additional disbursements include Rs.5,273.60 crore from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 21 states and Rs.1,423.06 crore from the NDMF to 14 states. The new Rs.507.37 crore project is additional to these releases, indicating a deliberate strategy to move beyond reactive disaster funding towards structured, preventive, and locally empowered measures.
By integrating disaster risk reduction into Panchayati Raj Institutions, the government is explicitly recognising that resilience begins at the community level. Model Gram Panchayats will not only serve as training and demonstration sites but will also provide replicable blueprints for other regions, showing how risk mapping, preparedness planning, and coordination with district and state authorities can be implemented in practice. Through institutional strengthening, capacity building, and community engagement, the programme aims to transform disaster management from a largely top-down exercise into a participatory, bottom-up process.
This initiative also builds on lessons learned from earlier Panchayat-level DRR programmes. While prior efforts demonstrated the value of training Panchayat members, conducting mock drills, and raising awareness, they lacked scale, dedicated funding, and formal integration into central disaster mitigation structures. The current programme addresses these gaps by providing both a financial framework and operational guidelines, ensuring that DRR becomes a consistent component of local governance rather than an ad hoc intervention.
In essence, the Rs.507.37 crore project is not just an allocation of funds; it is a move to institutionalise disaster preparedness at the Panchayat level, making it a routine part of governance and development planning. By doing so, it seeks to create resilient communities capable of anticipating, mitigating, and responding to disasters, thereby complementing broader state and national-level disaster management strategies. The programme, with its combination of funding, training, model Gram Panchayats, and community engagement, represents a comprehensive, integrated approach to disaster risk reduction, positioning India to better withstand natural and climate-related hazards at the local level.
– global bihari bureau
