Previous Year Question
The National Disaster Management Division in India is the nodal division in the Ministry of Home Affairs for disaster management. Who is the Ex-officio Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority?
The Prime Minister
The Home Minister
The Defence Minister
The Health and Family Welfare Minister
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
Section 3 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 provides for the establishment of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Section 3(2)(a) expressly provides that the Prime Minister of India shall be the ex-officio Chairperson of the National Authority.
NDMA is the principal statutory disaster-management authority at the national level. Apart from its Chairperson, it consists of other members within the prescribed limit, nominated by the Chairperson. Therefore, the Home Minister, Defence Minister and Health and Family Welfare Minister are not the ex-officio Chairpersons of NDMA.
The opening statement of the question is also important. The Disaster Management Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs is the nodal division in MHA for disaster management. It coordinates matters relating to disaster response, preparedness, prevention, mitigation, policy, capacity building and long-term rehabilitation.
A useful distinction is that the MHA Disaster Management Division and NDMA are not the same institution—the former is an administrative/nodal division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, while NDMA is a statutory authority constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, with the Prime Minister as its ex-officio Chairperson.