Agartala: September 04: Former Tripura Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb underscored the urgent need for faster post-disaster recovery measures during a meeting of the Advisory Committee on “Disaster Management and Capacity Building,” chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Deb highlighted that delays in post-disaster surveys often lead to late rehabilitation and reconstruction, prolonging the suffering of affected families. He urged the committee to prioritize timely assessments and speedy fund allocation, stressing that quick response mechanisms are essential for effective relief and rebuilding.
In response, Home Minister Amit Shah assured the committee that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had already taken concrete steps to address such delays. He referred to the decision taken on 19 August 2019, when the MHA mandated the deployment of Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to disaster-hit areas without delay.
These teams are responsible for assessing damages on the ground, verifying reports submitted by state governments, and ensuring that relief funds are disbursed promptly to the affected populations. Shah emphasized that this system was designed to minimize bottlenecks and provide timely assistance to disaster-stricken families.
The assurance was welcomed by the advisory committee members, who called for enhanced coordination between central teams and state administrations. They noted that stronger collaboration would not only accelerate relief distribution but also improve long-term rehabilitation and capacity-building efforts in disaster-prone states like Tripura.
Deb’s intervention highlighted the practical challenges faced at the ground level in smaller states with limited resources. By focusing on efficient survey mechanisms and faster fund flow, he underlined the need for disaster management strategies that are both responsive and people-centric.
