Sections 12, 13 and 14 of the Disaster Management Act 2005
Current legal position on the former minimum relief standards and loan-relief provisions, and the establishment and composition of State Disaster Management Authorities.
Section 12 - Guidelines for minimum standards of relief
Current law: Section 12 has been omitted by the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025. The provision reproduced below is retained only to explain the law as it stood before its omission.
What Section 12 previously provided
The National Disaster Management Authority was required to recommend guidelines prescribing minimum standards of relief for persons affected by a disaster. Those standards included:
- minimum requirements in relief camps concerning shelter, food, drinking water, medical cover and sanitation;
- special provisions for widows and orphans;
- ex gratia assistance for loss of life, assistance for damage to houses and support for restoration of means of livelihood; and
- such other relief as might be necessary.
The historical text is included for reference and should not be read as the current text of Section 12.
Section 13 - Relief in loan repayment
Current law: Section 13 has also been omitted by the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025. Before its omission, it empowered the National Authority, in cases of disasters of severe magnitude, to recommend relief in repayment of loans or fresh loans for disaster-affected persons on appropriate concessional terms.
The earlier provision was recommendatory in character: it authorised the National Authority to recommend financial relief in qualifying disaster situations rather than itself rewriting individual loan contracts.
Section 14 - Establishment of State Disaster Management Authority
Section 14 is part of Chapter III of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. It requires every State Government to establish a State Disaster Management Authority by notification in the Official Gazette after the notification contemplated by section 3(1).
Meaning and composition of the State Authority
A State Disaster Management Authority is the statutory State-level authority constituted under section 14 for disaster-management governance. Under section 14(2), it consists of a Chairperson and other members, subject to the statutory ceiling and the rules made by the State Government.
Section 14(1): Every State Government is to establish a State Disaster Management Authority for the State by notification in the Official Gazette.
Section 14(2): The Authority consists of the Chairperson and such number of other members, not exceeding nine, as may be prescribed. Unless the rules otherwise provide, its composition includes:
- the Chief Minister of the State as ex officio Chairperson;
- not more than eight other members nominated by the Chairperson; and
- the Chairperson of the State Executive Committee as an ex officio member.
Section 14(3): The Chairperson may designate one of the nominated members as Vice-Chairperson.
Section 14(4): The Chairperson of the State Executive Committee is the ex officio Chief Executive Officer of the State Authority. The provision also contains special arrangements for Union territories, including Delhi.
Section 14(5): The term of office and conditions of service of members are governed by the applicable prescribed rules.
Special rule for Union territories
Section 14 contains specific provisos for Union territories. For a Union territory having a Legislative Assembly, other than Delhi, the Chief Minister is the Chairperson of the Authority. For other Union territories, the Lieutenant Governor or Administrator is the Chairperson. In Delhi, the Lieutenant Governor is the Chairperson and the Chief Minister is the Vice-Chairperson.
Related provisions
Section 14 should be read with the following provisions in Chapter III: Sections 15 to 17, dealing with meetings, officers and employees, and the advisory committee; and Sections 18 to 20, dealing with the powers and functions of the State Authority and the State Executive Committee.
Official legal sources
For the current statutory text, amendments and commencement material, refer to the official India Code text of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as amended, the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the Gazette of India, and the Ministry of Home Affairs disaster-management laws, policies and plans page.