A Heat Action Plan (HAP) is a policy concept and a comprehensive early warning system and preparedness scheme designed to reduce the adverse health and economic impacts of extreme heat events, such as heatwaves. It is India's primary policy response to the increasing frequency and severity of heatwaves.
The concept originated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which implemented South Asia's first-ever HAP in 2013, following a severe heatwave in Odisha in 1998 that prompted the first State heat response plan. The Ahmedabad HAP, developed with partners like the Indian Institute of Public Health-Gandhinagar, served as a model and was associated with a reduced death rate on hot days.
HAPs work by outlining strategies across four key pillars: 1) Early Warning System and inter-agency coordination, primarily using five-day forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD); 2) Public Awareness campaigns on prevention; 3) Capacity Building for healthcare professionals to treat heat-related illnesses; and 4) Long-term measures like cool roofs and urban greening. The plans assign roles and responsibilities to various line departments, including health, labour, and disaster management.
HAPs are closely connected to the national disaster management framework. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which operates under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, plays a central role, issuing national guidelines on heatwave management, which were revised in 2019, and working with 23 States to develop HAPs.
A significant recent change involves financing: while the 15th Finance Commission did not recommend formally including heatwaves in the notified list of disasters eligible for central financial assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in July 2024, a policy shift has allowed the National and State Disaster Mitigation Funds (NDMF/SDMF) to be used for heatwave mitigation projects. This allows for funding of long-term resilience measures, though the lack of formal disaster notification means heat-related deaths and losses are not eligible for ex-gratia relief from the SDRF/NDRF.