The Project

The Government of India has taken a decision to implement the World Bank assisted National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project in nine States and four Union Territories that are vulnerable to risks of cyclone. The identified states are West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goad, Gujarat and MAHARASHTRA. The identified union territories are the Andaman and Nicobar islands, Pondicherry, Lakshadweep and Daman & Diu.

Objectives

The objective of the project is to minimize vulnerability and make people disaster resilient and infrastructure disaster proof. The key objectives of the project are:-

Implementation Strategy

In Maharashtra, Relief and Rehabilitation Department is responsible for the management and coordination of the project. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India would provide policy guidelines, devise action plans, organize national/regional/state/district level consultation meetings and provide necessary resources and expertise.

At the national level, a Programme Management Board is constituted under the chairmanship of Home Secretary. A National Steering Committee has been constituted with the Joint Secretary, BM as the chairperson and representatives of concerned ministries and State Governments. The group is to work closely with GoI-UNDP DRM programme.

At the state level, the Steering Committee constituted for Disaster Risk Management Programme will also monitor and guide the implementation of cyclone risk mitigation project in the State.

Functions of the Steering Committee

• Developing policy guidelines and action plans to achieve the objectives
• Organizing consultations at all levels for assessment and progress of the programme
• Mobilization of resources and expertise both within and outside the country

Implementation Process

At the central level:

1. The Ministry of Home Affairs will implement the project at the national level.

2. A Programme Management Board under the chairmanship of Home Secretary will be     constituted for overall supervision of the project.

3. A National Cyclone Steering Committee will be constituted under the Joint Secretary     (DM), Ministry of Home Affairs with representatives of concerned     Ministries/agencies/concerned State Governments as members. The committee will     monitor the progress of the project and suggest coordination mechanism at the State     and district levels.

At the State level:

1. The Department of R & R has been nominated as the nodal agency.

2. Disaster Management Unit within the Department of Relief and Rehabilitation would      implement the programme.

3. The State Steering Committee constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary for      GoI-UNDP Disaster Risk Management Programme will review, control and guide the      implementation of the project in the State.

4. The DRM team would work very closely with this project.

5. Director, Disaster Management Unit has been designated as the focal point for the      project.

Budget and Period of the project

At the national level, total cost of the project is Rs. 1,050 crores and an amount of Rs. 36 crores would be allocated to the Government of Maharashtra. The project provides for the support from the Government of Maharashtra in terms of providing human resources and infrastructure for implementation of the project.

Different budget heads will be as follows:

Time Schedule

The project will be implemented over a period of five years.

Year-wise phases in the project and the break-up will be finalized in consultation with the Government of India.

Status of implementation in Maharashtra

Proposals have been invited by the Relief and Rehabilitation Department from the Collectors of Thane, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Raigad and from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai for the implementing the project in their respective districts. The Divisional Commissioner of Konkan division was also requested to suggest his views pertaining to every component of the project proposal. The concerned line departments namely the Revenue and Forests Department, Public Works Department, Maharashtra Maritime Board, Deputy Secretary (Ports), Home Department, Environment Department are requested to contribute to the project formulation.

A meeting was convened under the chairmanship of Secretary, Relief and Rehabilitation on 18th and another meeting on 24th January 2005 to discuss various components of the project proposal.

The World Bank team visited Maharashtra on 28th January 2005 for a preliminary discussion of issues related to the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project. The team consisted of the following members:

1. Mr. Christopher – Team Leader
2. Mr. N.N. Raghav – Municipal Engineer
3. Daniel Gunaratnam – Warning System Specialist
4. Mrs. Dara – Financial Specialist

Government of India members:

1. Prof A. S. Arya, National Seismic Advisor, Government of India
2. Prof. Santosh Kumar, NIDM, Government of India
3. Shri. Rabinarayan Gauda, Project Officer, MHA, Government of India.

The visiting team suggested that for early warning dissemination, a tie up with cellular operators may be tied. The shelter-belt plantation in private lands may also be attempted. Risk zones need to be identified and prioritized and a vulnerability map may be prepared.

The NIDM (National Institute of Disaster Management) emphasized community participation, creation of public awareness and dissemination of information, conducting NGO-level training programmes and proper documentation of the implementation process and lessons learned. The representative of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India informed that revised guidelines for preparing project proposal would be provided by the MHA to the State by 31st March 2005 and some financial assistance would be provided for the preparation of the project.