Friday, October 14 2005 16:19 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: With Saturday's (Oct 8, 2005) killer quake testing Government's relief mechanism, the Centre today (Oct 14, 2005) said it would give a 'free-hand' to the newly set up National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to shape policies in relief operations.

"Normally, we (in the Government) guide others to do things. But, here we want the NDMA to tell us what to do, how to do things. We intend to give them a free-hand in disaster management," Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil told an 'International Workshop on Disaster Risk Mitigation: Potential of Micro Finance for Tsunami Recovery' here.

Calling NDMA, constituted early this month, the most 'efficient and effective' agency to deal with the emerging situation, he said, "The Authority will guide us in shaping our policy in this regard, enforcing it and coordination between various agencies."

"The Authority will reach out to people, to inspire them and unless we reach out to people it is not going to help us."

Patil said the Disaster Management Bill is likely to be passed in the Winter Session of Parliament.

The Home Minister, addressing 60 delegates from nine South and South-East Asian countries, including India, said now the focus on disaster management has changed from relief and rescue operations to preventing these catastrophes.

For preventing disasters, he said, "We have to make rules which would compel people to abide by. We have to get the concept agreed to and there is no point if Government proposes some rules and people disobey that."