Kerala floods: Chinks in India's gold armour called disaster management

Mobilisation of funds and release to states for disaster management have seen a decline in recent years

Kerala floods have demonstrated two aspects of disaster management in India: First, our preparedness and response to disasters has improved; and second, when it comes to a large-scale disaster, social and financial assistance becomes instrumental in mitigating the impact faster.

However, disasters do not announce their arrival, and once they strike, they demand a lot of money for equipment, food and fuel, shelters and reconstruction. Does the government mobilise enough funds for disaster management, and does it utilise them fully and rationally?

Data show that central funding towards disaster management has dwindled in recent years. The amount collected as the