Inter Agency Group (IAG), Odisha

Orissa is vulnerable to multiple disasters. Due to its sub-tropical littoral location, the state is prone to tropical cyclones, storm surges and tsunamis. Its densely populated coastal plains are the alluvial deposits of its river systems. The rivers in these areas with heavy load of silt have very little carrying capacity, resulting in frequent floods, only to be compounded by breached embankments. In such a situation there was a need of coordination in disaster preparedness and response for building the capacity of disaster response.

Thus in March 2004, Inter Agency Group (IAG) Odisha, got formally established to work in close coordination with the Govt. and the civil society bodies. Its objective was to primarily provide assistance in the field of emergency response and also to foster a culture of promoting values for quality and accountability in disaster response. It also aimed to facilitate capacity building for preparedness at various levels, take lead for collective approach and support all initiatives taken up by Government or Non Government bodies in the field of disaster management to develop models in the state.

IAG today is a consortium of 21 international agencies ensuring minimum humanitarian standards in disaster risk reduction and management with unified action and improved coordination in Odisha. It coordinates with INGOs, UN Agencies, Govt. Depts. like Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), Revenue & Disaster Management Dept at the state level and with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Sphere India at the national level. IAG Odisha supplements the efforts of Government in identifying information gaps, providing quality post-disaster assistance, and act as a state level reference centre for knowledge management and technical resource. It facilitates inter and intra coordination, training and capacity building, information& knowledge management and common advocacy through a collaborative process for quality and accountability.

IAG Odisha operates through its secretariat hosted by Indian Red Cross Society, Odisha State Branch, which also chairs the consortium. Its initiatives are guided by the core principles of Sphere Project and governed by the Charter for IAG Odisha.