Dr. Sumita Misra Directs All Departments to Embed Disaster Preparedness in Every Development Project
Chandigarh: In a major step towards building a disaster-resilient Haryana, Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Dr. Sumita Misra, has directed all Administrative Secretaries to integrate disaster risk reduction into every stage of planning, execution and budgeting of government projects. The move is aimed at ensuring that disaster preparedness becomes an integral part of governance rather than a post-disaster response.
Issuing directions in line with the Government of India’s vision of a “Whole of Government” approach to disaster management, Dr. Misra said all departments must mainstream disaster prevention and mitigation measures in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the guidelines of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Dr. Misra has directed departments to ensure that every new and ongoing development project factors in disaster resilience from the planning stage itself. She has also asked departments to make adequate budgetary provisions for disaster management activities, recognising that preparedness and prevention are key to safeguarding lives, infrastructure and public assets.
To fast-track implementation, all departments have been directed to nominate dedicated Nodal Officers for disaster management and submit Action Taken Reports (ATRs) within 15 days, detailing the preventive and mitigation measures initiated. These reports will be consolidated by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department for submission to the Government of India.
The FCR also emphasised the need to sensitise officers at all levels so that disaster risk reduction becomes an integral component of departmental functioning. The initiative is expected to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and improve the State’s preparedness to deal with floods, heatwaves, storms and other natural disasters.
The directions reaffirm the statutory obligations under Sections 39 and 49(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which require every State Government department to integrate disaster mitigation measures into development plans and allocate dedicated funds in annual budgets for disaster management activities.
With this initiative, Haryana aims to make disaster resilience a core element of governance, ensuring that development projects across sectors are not only growth-oriented but also capable of withstanding future natural and climate-related challenges.
