Need for a Policy

The State of West Bengal (“the State”) is vulnerable to natural calamities like flood, cyclone, hail storm, thunder squall, drought, landslide, erosion and sometimes to earthquakes because of its geo-morphological, climatic and seismic conditions. Floods and Cyclonic storms occur almost every year in different parts of the State and inflict huge loss of life and property causing untold hardships and trauma in the lives of the people. These natural disasters strike at the very root of the economic growth of the state . The Govt. of West Bengal (“GoWB”) recognizes the need to have a Disaster Management Policy with proactive, comprehensive, and sustained approach to disaster management to reduce the detrimental effects of disasters on overall socio-economic development of the state. GoWB believes that Disaster Management is a holistic approach which is inclusive of all the activities before, during and after disaster .

Aim

The aim of the West Bengal State Disaster Management Policy is to establish necessary systems, structures, programs, resources, capabilities and guiding principles for reducing disaster risks and preparing for and responding to disasters and threats of disasters in the State of West Bengal in order to save lives and property , avoid disruption of economic activity and damage to environment and to ensure the continuity and sustainability of development.

Objectives

• To assess the risks and vulnerabilities associated with various disasters;
• To develop appropriate disaster prevention and mitigation strategies;
• To provide clarity on roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders concerned with disaster management so that disasters can be managed more effectively.
• To develop and maintain arrangements for accessing resources, equipment, supplies and funding in preparation for disasters that might occur.
• To ensure that arrangements are in place to mobilize the resources and capability for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery from disasters;
• To create awareness and preparedness and provide advice and training to the agencies involved in disaster management and to the community;
• To strengthen the capacities of the community and establish and maintain effective systems for responding to disasters;
• To ensure co-ordination with agencies related to disaster management in other Indian States and those at the national and international level;
• To ensure relief assistance to the affected without any discrimination of caste, creed, community or se;.
• To establish and maintain a proactive programme of risk reduction, this programme being implemented through existing sectoral development programmes and being part of the overall development process in the state ;
• To develop and implement programmes for risk sharing and risk transfer for all types of disasters;
• To address gender issues in disaster management with special thrust on empowerment of women towards long term disaster mitigation;
• To develop disaster management as distinct management discipline and creation of a systematic and streamlined disaster management cadre.

Download the Detail Policy Here .