In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives.

In the course ______________ the hearing, the Central government ________________ to concede that it had not fulfilled many of its statutory _________________. The National Disaster Policy required under the Disaster Management Act did not exist. The Disaster Mitigation Fund proposed under the same Act _________________. The National Disaster Response Force did not have ____________ expertise to deal with the drought. It also admitted that the Centre had delayed releasing assistance to States under the National Disaster Response Fund.