Disaster Management

With its topography and unique geographical location, India is highly susceptible to natural disasters. Floods, cyclones and earthquakes have a devastating impact on people, community infrastructure and the local economy. Reliance Foundation has a response-ready and experienced team that proactively works to mitigate disaster, minimise damage and enhance community resilience. This is done in collaboration with the government machinery and partners on the ground for early warning advisories and relief to affected communities. When required, rescue and rehabilitation support are also provided.

Disaster risk reduction, mitigation and response have been integral part of Reliance’s commitment to social responsibility. As part of this commitment, Disaster Management is taken up as a focus area in Reliance Foundation too, to primarily assist disaster-affected communities to prepare and recover from the impact of disasters in a quick span of time. The programme also supported disaster-prone communities to prepare them to face repeated occurrences of disaster. Spread across varied socio-economic and geographic conditions in the country in case of severe and long-lasting impact, Reliance Foundation also works with communities to revive livelihoods, improve health and education, and ensure sustainable development. Reliance Foundation has responded to 48 disasters by assisting communities affected by floods, cyclones, earthquakes and drought across 293 districts in 19 states & 3 UTs to-date, helping 1.9 crore (19 million) people to date. RF’s Disaster Management is the first Disaster Response Program by an Indian corporate foundation to be ISO 9001:2015 certified.

Reliance Foundation supports in building safer and disaster resilient communities by a holistic, pro-active, technology driven and sustainable strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation. RF focuses on all 4 phases of disasters: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. It ensures that all its responses are based on the local culture and geography. With climate change increasing the disaster risk, the Foundation has also been focusing on promoting climate resilient practices in agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

Reliance Foundation’s Disaster Management programme supports vulnerable hotspots in building safer and disaster-resilient communities. Reliance Foundation initiatives aim to cater ecological, economic and social vulnerability arising pre, during and post disaster and the lack of information on preparedness and planning; coping mechanisms to save lives and livelihoods and measures to be taken post disaster.

The goal is to create stronger and more resilient communities in disaster prone and climate vulnerable districts, reduce disaster risks and livelihood losses in very high and high climate vulnerable districts and empower vulnerable community to take appropriate actions and decisions on disaster risk management.

The Disaster Management programme aims to reduce mortality, number of affected people, economic losses and damages to critical infrastructure, increase DRR strategies, use multi-hazard early warning systems, and provide disaster risk information to align with the Sendai Framework Global targets.

Our Disaster Management programme works with a networked organisation comprising volunteers from across the RIL Group, local youth communities and Community Based Organisations. RF has built a pool of 1200+ local volunteers across states trained in responding and supporting the community to ensure their participation and empower them to understand the challenges and risks at hand.

Awards and Recognition