UN welcomes India's first national disaster management plan

1 June 2016, GENEVA – The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mr. Robert Glasser, today congratulated the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, and his government for producing the country’s first ever National Disaster Management Plan.

Mr. Glasser said: “On behalf of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, I would like to extend congratulations to the Indian government for setting such a fine example to the rest of the world when it comes to political commitment to reducing disaster losses and managing disaster risk.

“The challenges of reducing disaster risk in a country the size of India are formidable but the Indian government is demonstrating that where there is a will there is a way. I am pleased to note that the plan is based on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction which was adopted last year by UN Member States as a global blueprint for reducing disaster losses.

“The Government of India is one of the first in the world to come out publically with a plan which seeks to implement the four priorities for action of the Sendai Framework, focussed on spreading a greater understanding of disaster risk through education and public information, investing in disaster resilient infrastructure and committing to improved disaster preparedness and building back better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

“This plan is a further boost to disaster risk governance in India following the inauguration of India’s National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction two years ago. The country’s faces a formidable range of both man-made and natural hazards as evidenced by the drought which is currently affecting over 300 million people.”

India hosts the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction from November 2-5 in New Delhi.