The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is India's apex body for disaster-management policy, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is the specialised force for disaster response; both flow from the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
- The Disaster Management Act, 2005, created a three-tier structure: the NDMA at the Centre, State Disaster Management Authorities, and District Disaster Management Authorities.
- The Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairperson of the NDMA, which lays down policies and guidelines for disaster management.
- The NDRF is a dedicated, multi-skilled force for specialised response to natural and man-made disasters; its battalions are drawn from the Central Armed Police Forces (BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB).
- The Act covers prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and response, marking a shift from a relief-centred to a proactive approach.
- The National Institute of Disaster Management handles training and capacity building; State and district plans operationalise the framework on the ground.
Disaster management is both a polity-institutions topic and a direct CAPF role, since NDRF battalions are raised from the central forces and AC officers may serve in or alongside disaster response.
NDMA is the policy and planning authority (PM-chaired); NDRF is the operational response force drawn from the CAPFs. Both stem from the same 2005 Act.
Disaster Management Act, 2005: NDMA (PM-chaired apex policy body) and NDRF (specialised response force drawn from the CAPFs).