National Disaster Risk Index mapping hazards and vulnerabilities across 640 districts had put Maharashtra at the top of the chart followed by West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, while Delhi is most at risk among Union territories (UTs).
This national disaster risk index is also in line with India’s commitment to the Sendai Framework, successor to the Hyogo Framework, where it has to substantially bring down disaster losses in terms of lives and properties.
The index is currently in the form of a draft report prepared by the Union Home Ministry with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Index factors in exposure of population, agriculture and livestock and environmental risk in drawing up the rankings.
Some states have made significant progress in disaster risk reduction (DRR) by building resilient infrastructure and investing in early warning systems like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Tripura.
