Thursday, February 3 2005 12:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Centre will be issuing an order shortly to establish a National Emergency and Disaster Management Authority to deal with situations arising out of natural calamities and other emergencies and introduce a bill in this regard during the forthcoming Budget Session of Parliament, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said yesterday (Feb 02, 2005).

"The draft of the Bill is ready. We are giving final touches so that it can be tabled in the Budget session. We will also discuss it with leaders of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) partners and other political parties," he told a press conference on his return to Delhi after a four-day tour of Assam, Tripura and Mizoram.

Asked if the Government would issue an Ordinance to give shape to the Authority, Patil said that an administrative order would be issued since Parliamentary procedures take time.

"Once the Bill is introduced, it will be referred to the Standing Committee of Parliament and this may take time. Since the Government believes that the Authority should be established without any delay we will issue an administrative order," he said.

Patil said that the decision to set up such a body was taken on a recommendation from a high-level committee, which had also suggested that there should be a Cabinet committee on Disaster Management. "That is already in place," he said.

The Authority would lay down procedures to deal with natural calamites and other emergencies like a biological or chemical weapons attack at the Central level and provide for disbursement of funds to States and at the district level in an emergency.