The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex statutory body for disaster management in India, functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was established under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which was enacted on December 23, 2005, and the NDMA was formally constituted on September 27, 2006. The Authority's creation was a direct response to major disasters like the 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone, the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake, and the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which highlighted the need to shift from a relief-centric approach to a comprehensive disaster risk management framework.
The NDMA is chaired by the Prime Minister as its ex-officio chairperson and can have up to nine other members. Its core mechanism is to lay down the policies, plans, and guidelines for disaster management, including approving the National Plan and the plans of various Central Ministries and Departments. This national-level body is the top tier of a three-level institutional structure, connecting to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), ensuring a decentralized approach. It also oversees the functioning of the National Institute of Disaster Management and coordinates with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The framework has seen recent changes with the introduction of the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the subsequent Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025. The 2025 Act enhances the capacity of the NDMA and SDMAs, introduces a new definition of "preparedness," and delegates planning responsibilities to urban local bodies to tailor plans to specific local risks. The 2024 Bill proposed new functions for the NDMA, such as assessing the disaster preparedness of states and undertaking post-disaster audits of preparedness and response.