Bhubaneswar,(Orissa Today) Feb 3: The Odisha government has initiated steps to amend the Odisha Relief Code to broaden its scope in line with evolving disaster management needs. The revised code will be renamed the Odisha Disaster Management Code, incorporating a comprehensive approach aligned with the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has begun the process of revising the relief code, which was originally drafted in 1941, based on the Bihar and Odisha Famine Code-1930. An expert agency will be engaged to handle the revision, and tenders for the same have already been floated.
The government plans to introduce the new code within a year by integrating provisions from the Disaster Management Act, 2005, as well as guidelines from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF). Provisions from the drought manual and other government-issued calamity management guidelines will also be included.
Efforts will be made to simplify existing processes, including daily disaster reporting and post-disaster damage assessment. Field studies will be conducted in at least six coastal districts, five flood-prone districts, and five drought-prone districts, along with grassroots interactions to ensure a practical approach to disaster management.
Odisha govt to revamp Relief Code, expand scope of disaster management
