Lok Sabha Question No. 143 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-10
Subject: Fire Safety Provisions under National Building Code
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Shri Putta Mahesh Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *143

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026/ MAGHA 21, 1947 (SAKA)

FIRE SAFETY PROVISIONS UNDER NATIONAL BUILDING CODE

## *143.   SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU: SHRI PUTTA MAHESH KUMAR:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  any  review  or  assessment  has  been  conducted  on  the effectiveness of fire safety provisions under Part 4 (Fire & Life Safety) of the National  Building  Code  (NBC)  2016,  particularly  in  hospitals,  commercial complexes, industrial units, and residential buildings;
- (b) if so, the details and findings thereof during the last five years, State and year-wise;
- (c)  the  total  number  and  causes  of  fire-related  incidents  and  fatalities reported including smoke inhalation, electrical faults, flammable materials and negligence during the last five years, State-wise;
- (d) the number of buildings audited for fire safety annually and the proportion found non-compliant or partially compliant during the said period;
- (e)  whether the Government proposes to incorporate provisions for smoke management systems, periodic audits, electrical fire prevention and digital compliance tracking in future revisions of the NBC;
- (f)  whether  NBC  standards have been benchmarked with international fire safety norms and gaps identified; and
- (g)  the steps taken to strengthen accountability, enforcement, inspections and penalties by States and local bodies?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

- (a) to (g): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (g) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 143* FOR ANSWER IN LOK SABHA ON 10.02.2026

Fire Services is a State subject and has been included as a Municipal function in the XII Schedule of the Constitution of India under Article 243 (W).  It is the primary responsibility of the State Governments to take necessary measures for strengthening and equipping Fire Services and to avert the fire incidences in the area of their jurisdiction.

Role of Central Government is to advise and support in policy matters to State Governments  for  undertaking  prevention  and  fire  safety  measures.    The Central  Government  does  not  maintain  data  related  to  fire  accidents  / incidents in the States and the buildings audited centrally.  However, as per the data reported by the States/Union Territories to National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) during 2023, a total of 7,054 cases of fire accidents were reported  in  the  country  which  rendered  6,891  deaths  and  injuries  to  284 persons.

Bureau of Indian Standards had published National Building Code of India (NBC), 2016 . It covers the detailed guidelines for construction, maintenance and  fire  safety  of  the  structures . The  current  version  of  the  NBC,  2016 includes the aspects regarding smoke  management,  periodic audits, electrical   fire   prevention,   building   management   system,   sensors   for

firefighting  and  fire  prevention,  etc.    The  international  best  practices  in building construction including fire safety were also considered in revising the respective chapter of NBC, 2016.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs have framed Model Building Bye Laws 2016, for guiding the States / UTs for revising their respective Building Bye  Laws.    It  also  contains  a  Chapter  on  fire  protection  and  fire  safety requirements which prescribes the norms and standards for fire protection. Its effective enforcement is in the domain of the States / UTs.

National  Fire  Service  College  (NFSC),  Nagpur  conducts  regular  training  in advanced  techniques  of  firefighting  and  rescue  etc.  for  Sub  Fire  Officers, Station Officers and Divisional Officers. The College also conducts a four-year B.Tech. degree program in science of Fire Engineering which is recognized by AICTE and affiliated to R.T.M. Nagpur University. NFSC, Nagpur has trained 4049 Fire Services Officers and produced 329 B. Tech Engineers during last five years.

Recognizing the need for expansion and modernization of fire services in the States, Fifteenth Finance Commission recommended a provision of Rs. 5000 crore  for  strengthening  the  fire  services  at  a  state  level.  The  Central Government has launch ed a 'Scheme for Expansion and Modernization of Fire

## L.S.S.Q.NO. *143 FOR 10.02.2026

Services in the States' on 04.07.2023 from the Preparedness and Capacity Building  Funding  Window  under  the  National  Disaster  Response  Fund  for strengthening fire services in the States with a total Central outlay of Rs. 5,000 Crore.

The measures included in the scheme provides setting up of new fire stations, strengthening of State Training Centres and capacity building, provisions for modern  fire-fighting  equipment,  strengthening  of  State  Headquarters  and Urban Fire Stations, technological upgradation and installation and augmentation of online system etc.

Enforcement of fire safety regulations, inspections, accountability mechanisms and penalties are also governed by the respective State Fire Service Acts/Rules and local statutory provisions.

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