Odisha Govt Announces Restructuring of OSDMA to Address Climate Change – N.F Times

Bhubaneswar: Almost a quarter of a century since its inception, the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), the pioneer dedicated disaster response agency in India, is set to undergo restructuring to tackle the challenges brought on by climate change.

The Revenue and Disaster Management Department has enacted a resolution to restructure the OSDMA, acknowledging that climate change is exacerbating the state’s challenges by causing more frequent disasters such as cyclones, heavy rainfall, and flash floods.

“Given the evolving landscapes, it is imperative to fortify the organizational framework of the OSDMA (Odisha State Disaster Management Authority) to align with national frameworks and guidelines. The aim is to enhance its capacity to transition from mitigation, preparedness, response, and reconstruction towards a comprehensive approach to disaster risk reduction and resilience,” stated the notification.

According to the notification, the OSDMA will be restructured into four divisions: General, Capacity Building, Project & Technology, and Finance, each led by an Executive Director.

The Executive Director (General) and Executive Director (Capacity Building) will hold ranks equivalent to IAS or OAS officers. The Executive Director (Projects & Technology) will be selected from the engineering departments of the Odisha government or deputed from the Telecom Department of the Government of India.

The Executive Director (Finance) will hold the rank of OFS (SS/SAG) and will be appointed on deputation from the government. If an OFS (SG) cadre officer is appointed, they will assume the title of Chief General Manager (F&A).

Within the OSDMA’s total staff strength of 102 positions, 10 posts have been discontinued and 37 new posts have been introduced.

The Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority was established in response to the Super Cyclone that struck Odisha in 1999, which resulted in nearly 10,000 fatalities. The disaster impacted 13 million people across 12 districts, leading to extensive damage to infrastructure and residences. Later, it experienced slight changes in its name, becoming the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) in 2008.

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