Role of Civil Society in Enhancing Disaster Management and Resilience in Odisha

Seema Rani Sethi

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.84213

Role of Civil Society in Enhancing Disaster Management and Resilience in Odisha

Author(s)	Ms. Seema Rani Sethi
Country	India
Abstract	Odisha, a state on India’s eastern coast, is one of the most disaster-prone states in the country. It is affected by cyclones, floods, and droughts. Following the Super Cyclone of 1999, the approach to disaster preparedness has slowly changed from relief to disaster management. In this altered context, civil society organizations – non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, self-help groups, volunteers and community radio stations – have become essential partners. This paper examines the changing role of civil society in disaster management and resilience across Odisha, drawing on 107 peer-reviewed publications from 2001 to 2025. It highlights that civil society organisations play a robust role in all the phases of disaster, that is, during preparedness through training, spreading early warning signals, and preparing local contingency plans, during response through last mile distribution of relief materials, support evacuation and two-way communication, during recovery through restoration of means livelihood, psychosocial support, resilient building back and during mitigation through advocacy for risk-informed development and ecosystem-based adaptation. Civil society involvement has gradually taken on a formal character through institutional mechanisms such as the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), and the Village Disaster Management Committees (VDMCs). While CSOs and NGOs have made significant contributions, there are still many issues they face, such as resource constraints, coordination gaps, capacity limitations, and the sustainability of engagement between disasters. The paper concluded that institutionalizing community-based approaches, expanding participatory communication platforms, establishing sustainable funding mechanisms, and deepening policy engagement are essential for strengthening civil society. The experiences of Odisha can provide salient lessons for the world's disaster-prone regions. These experiences demonstrate that successful disaster governance requires a true partnership among the government, civil society, and the people.
Keywords	Civil Society, Disaster Management, Odisha, Adaptive Governance, Community Resilience.
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-07-24
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.84213

View / Download PDF File

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

Role of Civil Society in Enhancing Disaster Management and Resilience in Odisha

Share this