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In addition to this, steps were being taken to further strengthen the communication network in the State.
6.3 Relief activities
The relief needs to be prompt, adequate and of approved standards. Immediate relief in cash or kind is provided to the disaster victims, by the Government and donors, on the basis of losses
suffered by them. A systemic and transparent arrangement must be in place for the purpose. The State Disaster Management Authority State Government should provide relief to the victims, as
per the prevailing norms, after the assessment of losses to the life and property. Audit scrutiny of records in respect of relief works in test-checked districts showed the following:-
6.3.1 Review of standards of relief
The National Policy for Disaster Management NPDM advocates that the State shall review the existing standards of relief code and manuals to address the contemporary needs of communities
affected by disasters.
Audit scrutiny showed that no review of norms and codes had been carried out by the State Government prior to the disaster. The relief ex-gratia payments were granted distributed on
norms and procedures which were prevalent in the erstwhile State of Uttar Pradesh
2
. Suitable databases could also have been developed which would have facilitated hassle free distribution of
relief and left little scope for complaints. For this purpose, a Committee was set up in March 2015 for developing State speciic standards.
6.3.2 Assessment of relief
The Disaster Management Department, through district administrations and concerned departments, has to organise a quick survey in respect of crop damages, damage to houses and human animal
losses due to a disaster so that immediate relief could be provided to the victims. The District Magistrate needs to have in place a systemic arrangement for assessment of human and property
losses so that there is no delay in the hour of need. Scrutiny of records of test-checked districts showed that primary assessment of ex-gratia relief and compensation in lieu of loss of life and
livestock had not been made by the concerned district authorities. On being pointed out, the respective DDMAs replied that no such exercise was carried out before the distribution of relief
among the affected families.
A joint physical veriication of 36 villages covering a population of 3,260 persons was conducted by audit along with the representatives of district administration during the course of performance
2
Floods and other Natural Calamities Manual-Uttar Pradesh.
CHAPTER- 6: GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO DISASTER, RESCUE AND RELIEF
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audit. The outcome of physical veriication and interaction with 439 villagers is enumerated below:-
• Government did not provide any immediate aid material in 21 villages. • Villagers of 22 villages were not satisied with the distribution of relief assistance.
• Three villages complained that the Government did not provide rations in the affected villages. Eight villages reported that Government provided the rations one week to two months after the
disaster took place.
6.3.3 Immediate relief to the disaster victims
