NEW DELHI: Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister PK Mishra on Tuesday called for a comprehensive approach to disaster risk reduction, stressing the need to protect development gains and minimise economic losses alongside saving lives over the coming decade.
Addressing a meeting of senior officials on disaster risk reduction, convened by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and co-chaired by India and the United Kingdom, Mishra highlighted the growing links among climate change, rapid urbanisation, infrastructure expansion and environmental degradation.
The country’s top bureaucrat noted that advances in early warning systems, preparedness and emergency response had helped reduce loss of life, but economic losses from disasters continued to remain high. He called for a shift away from fragmented, department-led responses towards an integrated approach that accounts for interconnected risks and their cascading impacts.
Referring to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mishra urged countries to accelerate its implementation through 2030, with greater emphasis on prevention, mitigation and institutional capacity. He cited initiatives undertaken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the ‘Ten-Point Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction introduced in 2016’ and amendments to the Disaster Management Act in 2025.
Mishra said disaster financing must be assessed against measurable outcomes, calling for investments in resilient infrastructure, stronger urban governance and the integration of nature-based solutions into development planning.
He also underlined the potential of artificial intelligence, machine learning and multi-hazard early warning systems in strengthening disaster preparedness. However, he stressed that warnings must translate into timely action and accessible financing.
Recovery and reconstruction plans, he added, should be prepared in advance to ensure that rebuilding reduces existing vulnerabilities rather than reproducing them.
Highlighting India’s commitment to global cooperation, Mishra referred to the establishment of the G20 Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction during India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 and efforts to advance international collaboration under its BRICS Chairship.
He outlined three priorities, including improving understanding of emerging and interconnected risks, directing investment towards resilient public finances, infrastructure, cities and natural systems and strengthening institutions through practical international cooperation.
Mishra called for consolidating the gains made under the Sendai Framework and accelerating its implementation through 2030, saying disaster resilience must safeguard not only lives but also the infrastructure, assets and development painstakingly built by communities.
