The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved an amount of Rs. 12 billion for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for procurement of relief items to restock its reserves in order to be better prepared to respond to any impending disaster.
The summary put before the ECC by NDMA highlighted that the country faced one of the worst climate-induced calamities in the form of floods last year, affecting 33 million people and losses worth $32 billion.
The summary said that NDMA undertook national-level efforts to mitigate the sufferings of flood victims by providing timely rescue and relief from its stocks and also through emergency procurement.
In order to mitigate damages at the national level, NDMA resorted to emergency procurement, as warranted in its Act 2010, for speedy procurement and delivery of essential relief items including tents, mosquito nets, food packs, tarpaulins, blankets, de-watering pumps, water jerry cans, life-saving boats, etc.
Moving forward, NDMA has to restock/replenish its national reserves on an emergency basis in order to be better prepared to respond to any impending disaster. The prime minister had also directed that NDMA’s short-term plan should include the stock-taking of its inventory and procurement of stocks/items it may require to meet any disaster situation in the future.
NDMA’s guidelines on stocking, maintenance, and supply of relief and rescue items also provide for a minimum threshold of restocking standards for its inventory.
The summary said that details of minimum stock/inventory levels to be maintained have been worked out after a need assessment wherein the approximate financial impact of restocking comes to Rs. 12 billion and requested the ECC for the release of funds.
