India’s new plan to tackle disasters fails to address the needs of vulnerable groups, which could lead to millions of women, children, disabled and elderly people as well as lower caste and tribal communities being put at further risk, aid workers said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled India’s first National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) last week. The plan aims to boost resilience to earthquakes, cyclones and floods and reduce deaths by focusing on early warning, response and recovery.

While the United Nations and relief agencies have generally welcomed the plan, some aid groups say there are serious gaps.

Government will today sign a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia on disaster risk management.

It underscores Government’s bid for improved bilateral relationships with its international counterparts in this sector.

The Minister for National Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu will sign the agreement with the head of the National Disaster Management Authority of the Republic of Indonesia Willem Rampangilei at the National Disaster Management office at around 11:30am in Suva.

Mr Rampangilei is also the chair of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management as well as a member of the Conference of the Parties to ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER).

He was previously a deputy to Indonesia’s co-ordinating minister for culture and human development, and in charge of disaster impacts and social affairs.

At 1:30pm, he will depart Suva for a site visit at Queen Victoria School where the Indonesian military are carrying out Tropical Cyclone Winston rehabilitation work on the school.

The Indonesians offered to rebuild the badly-damaged boarding school under the Government’s Adopt a School programme.