Creation of Authority

               The GSDMA has been constituted by the Government of Gujarat by the GAD’s Resolution dated 8th February 2001. The Authority has been created as a permanent arrangement to handle the natural calamities. The objectives for constitution of this authority have been clearly spelt out and precisely defined in para (2) of the said Resolution.

  These are as follows: -

1. To provide relief to the people for the loss incurred due to natural calamity and to under take rehabilitation and reconstruction as also social and economic activities or restoration of the situation

2. To make efforts to minimize the impact of natural calamities through precautionary programmes and schemes.

3. To analyze and study the reasons of natural calamities and to suggest the remedies to avoid or minimize the effects of such natural calamites.

4. To make the best use of the funds, grants, donations, assistance received from Government of India and other foreign countries or from any other institutions/persons for prevention of such natural calamities or for handling the after-effects; to obtain loans and make proper use of the funds received by the Authority.

The headquarters of this authority is at Gandhinagar and its jurisdiction is throughout the entire state of Gujarat. It is supposed to function as an autonomous body. Its activities are non- profitable and is duly registered as a charitable institution under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, with the competent Authorities. The Authority works under the aegis of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Division, a separate cell created under the GAD.

In the year 2002 the Government of Gujarat declared, “Disaster Management Policy” for the state. Following this policy the Government passed “Gujarat State Disaster Management Act, 2003”. The bill was passed by the state assembly on March 28, 2003 and the Act has come into force from May 13, 2003. The State of Gujarat become the first state in India to have enacted an Act to provide legal and regulatory framework for disaster management.

With the effect of the Gujarat State Disaster Management Act 2003, the Society constituted earlier as GSDMA, stands dissolved under Section 49 of the Act, and the Authority under sub-section 1 of the Section (6) came to an existence.

The Government of Gujarat vide Notification No. DMA-1003-1488-B dated 29th August, 2003 in the Official Gazette established an Authority in the name of Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority with effect from 1st September, 2003 and specified Gandhinagar as the headquar ters of the said Authority under the sub section (1) & (3) of the Section 6 of the Act.

Constitution of the Authority

Section 7 of the GSDM Act 2003 provides the constitution of the Authority. Accordingly the Authority shall consist of chairperson and not more than fourteen other members as follow s, namely.

     (a)   The Chief Minister of the State, ex- officio, who shall be the Chairperson;

     (b)   Two Ministers nominated by the Chief Minister by virtue of their office from amongst the Council of Ministers of the State;

     (c)    The Chief Secretary of the State, ex-officio;

     (d)   The Secretary to the Government of Gujarat, Revenue Department, ex officio;

     (e)    The Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, ex-officio;

     (f)     The State Relief Commissioner, ex- officio; and

     (g)   The Director General of Police of the State, ex-officio;

     (h)   Such other officers of the State Government as may be appointed by the State Government by virtue of their office:

Provided that when a proclamation made under Article 356 of the Constitution is in force in the State, the Central Government may appoint three persons, in place of the Chief Minister and other two Ministers, to be the Chairperson and members of the Authority and the persons so appointed shall vacate their office upon the revocation or cesser of operation of such proclamation.

The members of the Authority shall hold office during the pleasure of the State Government and shall receive such remuneration as may be prescribed.

Vision

To go beyond reconstruction and make Gujarat economically vibrant, agriculturally and industrially competitive with improved standards of living and with a capacity to mitigate and manage future disasters

Objective

The Government of Gujarat (GOG) established the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) on February 8, 2001 to co-ordinate the comprehensive earthquake recovery program. The GSDMA is registered as a society under the Societies Registeration Act. The objectives of GSDMA are:-

To undertake social and economical activities for rehabilitation & resettlement of the affected people that would include new Housing, Infrastructure, Economics Rehabilitation, social Rehabilitation and other related programme.

 

-  To prepare programmes and plans to mitigate the losses on account of disasters as a strategy for long terms disaster preparedness.

 

-  To undertake research and study regarding causes for losses on account of natural disaster and to suggest remedial measures for minimizing the same.

 

-  To obtain funds for rehabilitation and resettlement and to ensure optimum utilization of these funds obtained in the form of grant, aid, assistance or loan from Government of Gujarat, Government of India, World Bank and ADB, USAID, DFID, IFRC, and donors, NGOs, and from financial institutions, Public and private trusts or any other organisations.

 

-  To manage Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Fund.

 

-  To act as a nodal agency, and to co-ordinate various issues relating to the deserving victims out of the funds, either directly or through a common fund, created for these purpose in any other feasible mode.

 

-  To provide to arrange financial assistance so as to acheive the objects of the society.

 

-  To raise money through financial instruments, bonds, deposits or such other manner may be permissible under the provision of Societies Registeration Act, 180 and the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950

 

-  To develop approach, philosophy, policy guidelines and action plan and other relevane aspects for meeting out disaster of any kind;  Management , Administration, Investment & Reinvestment of funds out of sale proceeds received from the sle of land, buildings, Equipments, furniture, fixtures, debris or any other things or articles or infrastructure.

 

-  To act as a nodal agency and to coordinate various issures related to the maintenance of hygienic living conditions, welfare of victims, environmental maintenance and such other welfare measures, as may be assigned to the deserving authority.

 

-  To do all the acts and things conducive for the attainment of the above objects in the most possible manner, which are relevant to fulfil the objects of  SOCIETY.