Addendum to the Guidelines regarding Nationwide Lockdown issued

Addendum to the Guidelines regarding Nationwide Lockdown issued

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Governance; GS III – Disaster Management

In News: 

• Addendum to the guidelines regarding Nationwide lockdown was issued recently by Ministry of Home Affairs.

• This addendum lays down additional categories of essential goods and services exempted under the Disaster Management Act, with respect to the 21- day lockdown.

Important value additions:

Disaster Management Act 

• The Disaster Management Act, 2005 provides for the legal and institutional framework for disaster management in India at the national, state and district levels.
• The primary responsibility of Disaster Management vests with the state government.
• The central government lays down the plans, policies and guidelines and provides support.
• Recently, the Home Ministry declared the coronavirus outbreak as a “notified disaster”, thus bringing into play the provisions of the Disaster Management Act.
• The Act allows the National Executive Committee to give directions to governments regarding measures to be taken by them.

• The Disaster Management Act is also being used to rein in the circulation of fake news.

• The Act is being used in tandem with the Epidemic Diseases Act.