Odisha Focuses on Resilience: Transforming Disaster Management

The Odisha government is reshaping its State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) to prioritize risk reduction and resilience over disaster response. This shift, prompted by frequent natural calamities, aims to align with national guidelines. OSDMA will now feature four divisions to enhance its organizational strength.

In a strategic pivot, the Odisha government has announced a major overhaul of its State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA). The focus will now shift from disaster preparedness and response to risk reduction and resilience, reflecting the increased frequency of natural calamities in the region.

The restructuring follows a resolution from the Revenue and Disaster Management department, aiming to align OSDMA's framework with national guidelines. This change is designed to bolster the authority's capacity, moving from traditional disaster management to a comprehensive disaster risk reduction and resilience strategy.

As part of this restructuring, OSDMA will establish four new divisions: general, capacity building, project and technology, and finance, each led by an executive director. This initiative marks Odisha's continued leadership in disaster management, having been the first state to establish an authority post the devastating 1999 super cyclone.

(With inputs from agencies.)