National Disaster Management Centre was established in 1996 under the Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare. It came under the Ministry of Disaster Relief Services by the extra ordinary gazette notification No: 1422/22, dated 08/12/2005, in order to plan and implement relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities. It was transferred to the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services with renaming as National Disaster Relief Services Center (NDRSC), by the Gazette Notification No: 1482/9 dated 09/01/2007. It functions under the Ministry of Disaster Management with effect from 30/04/2010 with the gazette notification No: 1651/20.

It is located at Vidya Mawatha, Colombo 7 and functions under the policy guidance provided by the Hon. Minister and Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management. Projects and programmes are carried out through the respective District Secretariats and Divisional Secretariats with the policy guidance given by the Ministry of Disaster Management. Further, Disaster Relief Coordinators function at the district level under the supervision of respective District Secretaries.