The Disaster Management Act of 2005 is a comprehensive legislation aimed at ensuring effective measures to manage, prevent and mitigate natural and man-made disasters in India. The key objectives of the Act are:

• To establish an institutional mechanism for disaster management at the national, state and district levels
• To undertake a holistic, coordinated, and scientific approach to disaster management
• To provide for measures to reduce the risk of disasters through a range of structural and non-structural measures
• To promote capacity building and training for all stakeholders involved in disaster management
• To undertake research, training, and awareness-raising campaigns to enhance preparedness and response to disasters

The salient features and key provisions of the Act include the following:

• Establishment of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) to manage disasters at different levels
• Preparation of disaster management plans at the national, state, and district levels, and regular review and updating of these plans
• Categorization of disasters as natural, man-made, or nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) disasters, and provisions for specific measures for each category of disaster
• Creation of a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for disaster response and relief operations
• A provision for the establishment of a National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) for promoting training and research in disaster management

The Disaster Management Act of 2005 is an important legislation that has strengthened India's disaster management system and made it more effective and efficient in managing disasters.