Odisha signs MoUs for data-driven disaster management

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) on Wednesday signed MoUs with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and CivicDataLab to upgrade the disaster management system to a more data-driven, scientific and technology-enabled framework, officials said.

The two partnerships will strengthen disaster risk assessment, preparedness and decision-making at the grassroots level and further advance Odisha’s efforts towards building a disaster-resilient and safer State. The MoUs were signed in the presence of Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, UNDP India Resident Representative Angela Lusigi, and Director and Co-founder of CivicDataLab, Gaurav Godhwani.

Speaking on the occasion, Pujari said that disaster management today must move beyond responding to disasters after they occur and focus on anticipatory action, preparedness and risk assessment based on accurate and timely data. “Data-driven decision-making is critical for saving lives and protecting property while also enabling more effective and far-reaching development planning,” he said. The new partnerships would further strengthen Odisha’s standing at the national and international levels in the field of disaster management, he asserted. The minister further said that UNDP’s extensive national and global experience in disaster management, community resilience, preparedness and capacity building would provide valuable support in further strengthening Odisha’s disaster management ecosystem.

These initiatives would serve as an important step towards achieving the State’s goal of ‘zero casualty’ and building a safer, more resilient and climate-ready Odisha, he said. Under the partnership between OSDMA and UNDP, a comprehensive hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment (HRVA) will be undertaken across all 30 districts of Odisha, according to an official statement.

Data will be collected at the village level in 10 coastal districts vulnerable to cyclones and floods, while in the remaining 20 districts, the assessment will be undertaken at the gram panchayat level. The data generated through the exercise will form the basis of a dynamic, GIS-enabled digital platform, which can be periodically updated in response to changing climate and risk patterns. The platform will support the preparation of district-level risk atlases and evidence-based policy decisions, it said.

The non-financial MoU with CivicDataLab will facilitate the development of a dedicated Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Disaster Risk Reduction in Odisha, the statement said.

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The Hans India