Disaster Management Act, 2005
State-Specific Disaster Classification
The Disaster Management Act, 2005 (DM Act) is the primary legislative framework for disaster management in India. It defines "disaster" and establishes the institutional and financial architecture for disaster response. Kerala invoked its provisions to classify tidal flooding as a state-specific disaster.
- Section 2(d) of the DM Act, 2005: Defines "disaster" as "a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or man-made causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area."
- State-specific disasters: Under SDRF guidelines, states may use up to 10% of their annual SDRF allocation for local or state-specific disasters not included in the MHA's nationally notified list — subject to approval by the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
- Nationally notified disasters (under MHA guidelines): Cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, cold wave, frost, and lightning. Tidal flooding was not in this list — hence Kerala's classification as a state-specific disaster is constitutionally valid but uses the SDRF's discretionary 10% window.
- SDRF (State Disaster Response Fund): Constituted under Section 48(1)(b) of the DM Act. Funded 75:25 (Centre:State) for general category states, 90:10 for special category/hilly states. Kerala (general category) receives 75% central contribution.
- NDRF (National Disaster Response Fund): Constituted under Section 46 of the DM Act — national-level fund managed by the Centre; used when states' SDRF is inadequate.
● Tracked since February 17, 2026 · last seen August 09, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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