UPSC Mains 2020 GS3 Q18 — Disaster management
Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India departing from the earlier reactive approach. (Answer in 250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Discuss
- Scope keywords
- recent measuresdisaster managementGovernment of Indiadeparting from the earlier reactive approach
- Implicit sub-parts
- What characterized the 'earlier reactive approach' (pre-2005 or pre-NDMP 2016 focus)?
- Identification of specific paradigm shifts from 'Relief-centric' to 'Prevention, Mitigation, and Preparedness'.
- Analysis of recent institutional, technological, and financial measures (e.g., XV Finance Commission's separate fund allocation).
- Evaluation of how these measures have translated into reduced mortality or damage in recent events.
- Common pitfalls
- Spending too much time on the Disaster Management Act 2005, which is not 'recent' enough for this specific question.
- Failing to contrast new measures with the old ones, resulting in a simple list of schemes rather than a 'departure' analysis.
- Ignoring the shift in funding mechanisms, specifically the creation of the Mitigation Fund alongside the Response Fund.
- Neglecting the international context like the Sendai Framework or CDRI which inform GoI's current policy.
- Dimensions required
- Institutional/LegalFinancial (Allocation mechanisms)Technological/Early WarningCommunity-based/StructuralGlobal-alignment (Sendai/SDGs)
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 40-50 words to define the shift from relief to resilience. Dedicate 150 words to specific recent measures like the NDMP 2016, XV-FC's mitigation funds, Gati Shakti's role in disaster-resilient infra, and early warning systems. Use the final 50 words to analyze the impact of this departure using examples like cyclone preparedness in Odisha versus earlier decades.
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