Preparedness & Response — Set 10

Correct Answer: C. Operation Dost

India deployed NDRF search and rescue teams to Turkey in February 2023 under Operation Dost following the devastating Kahramanmaraş earthquakes (7.8 and 7.7 magnitude) that struck on February 6, 2023 and killed over 50,000 people. The NDRF teams participated in urban search and rescue operations alongside teams from over 90 countries. 'Dost' meaning 'friend' in Turkish and Urdu reflected the deep cultural connections between India and Turkey.

Correct Answer: C. INSAT-3D and 3DR

INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR are India's geostationary meteorological satellites that carry advanced imaging sensors and atmospheric sounders, providing real-time weather data crucial for cyclone tracking, intensity estimation, and early warning. The satellites provide continuous imagery of the Indian subcontinent and surrounding ocean areas, enabling IMD to track cyclone formation and movement round the clock. INSAT-3D/3DR data is the backbone of IMD's Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and cyclone warning systems.

Correct Answer: D. 2016

India's first National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) was published in 2016 under the Disaster Management Act 2005, replacing the earlier National Disaster Management Policy 2009. NDMP 2016 is aligned with the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015–2030 and provides a comprehensive framework covering all hazards, all phases of disaster management, and all stakeholders. An updated version was released in 2019 incorporating lessons from major recent disasters and new risk scenarios.

Correct Answer: C. Cabinet Secretary

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary and coordinates the response of all central government ministries during major disasters and national emergencies. NCMC is a higher-level coordination body that supports NDMA and operates above the National Executive Committee (NEC) chaired by the Union Home Secretary. During the most severe disasters, NCMC provides whole-of-government coordination under the oversight of the Prime Minister-chaired NDMA.

Correct Answer: B. A community's capacity to absorb disaster impacts, adapt, and recover while maintaining essential functions

Community resilience is a community's capacity to anticipate, prepare for, absorb, adapt to, and recover from adversity — including disasters — while maintaining essential community functions, identity, and structure. Building community resilience involves strengthening social capital, livelihood diversification, risk awareness, and local preparedness capacity. India's Aapda Mitra programme, Village Disaster Management Committees, and the CBDRR approach are all tools for building community resilience at the grassroots level.

Correct Answer: B. State government, with central support when needed

Under India's DM Act 2005 and federal structure, disaster management is primarily a state subject — the state government bears primary responsibility for disaster response, with district authorities as the front-line implementing body. The central government provides financial, technical, and operational support (including NDRF deployment) when a state's capacity is overwhelmed. This principle of 'subsidiarity' ensures that response is led at the closest appropriate level to the affected community.

Correct Answer: B. NDMA in coordination with Ministry of External Affairs and MHA

International deployment of NDRF for USAR and HADR operations is decided jointly by NDMA, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), typically in response to requests from affected country governments or through UN coordination mechanisms. NDMA provides operational oversight, MEA manages the diplomatic and coordination aspects, and MHA exercises administrative control over NDRF. India's NDRF teams have been internationally deployed to Nepal (2015), Turkey (2023), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other countries.

Correct Answer: B. Village Disaster Management Committees, Aapda Mitra, and school safety programmes

Community-level disaster preparedness in India is organised through multiple complementary mechanisms: Village Disaster Management Committees (VMDCs) established under the DM Act 2005, Aapda Mitra community volunteers trained by NDMA, school safety programmes under the National School Safety Programme (NSSP), and community awareness campaigns. These grassroots structures form the foundation of India's community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) strategy, engaging citizens as active participants in their own disaster preparedness and response.

Correct Answer: B. Self-Sufficiency for 72 Hours

The '72-hour self-sufficiency' concept in community preparedness emphasises that communities should be prepared to sustain their own disaster response for a minimum of 72 hours — the critical window before government and professional responders can typically reach all affected areas. This drives stockpiling of emergency supplies, training community volunteers, and establishing local coordination mechanisms that don't depend on external support. India's Aapda Mitra programme and community preparedness guidelines are built around this 72-hour self-sufficiency concept.

Correct Answer: B. SDRF is a state-level fund for routine disaster expenditure; NDRF supplements states when disaster exceeds state capacity

The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) is maintained by each state for routine disaster response expenditure within the state's own capacity, with 75% funded by the Central Government and 25% by the state. The National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is a central fund that supplements SDRF when a disaster is of a severe nature exceeding the state's coping capacity. Both funds are governed by the Disaster Management Act 2005 and SDRF/NDRF norms and are the primary instruments for government-funded disaster response financing in India.