Strengthening Capabilities of Local Government Institutions in Disaster Management : A Study of Flood-prone Areas in Alappuzha District, Kerala

This research paper focuses on disaster management activities carried out by Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) in India, specifically emphasising disaster preparedness at the local level. Given India’s vulnerability to natural disasters, this paper underscores the need for proactive approaches and citizen-centric as well as participatory strategies in disaster management. It draws on in-depth fieldwork conducted in four highly vulnerable and disaster-prone Gram Panchayats in Alappuzha district, Kerala. The study reiterates the importance of empowering PRIs, as they are the most significant political institutions to engage in the pre-disaster phase, and it emphasises the need to strengthen the capabilities of PRIs in disaster management, with a focus on disaster preparedness. Additionally, this paper explores the application of the principle of subsidiarity in disaster management, focusing on the delegation of tasks by mapping responsibilities to Gram Panchayats (GP), Block Panchayats (BP), and District Panchayats (DP).