Says “ Govt Committed To Disaster-Resilient Villages, Cities”
New Delhi|Sept, 10: Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that the Narendra Modi led government has completely transformed the country’s disaster management system and set the goal of zero casualty. He was speaking while chairing the third meeting of the Governing Body of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in New Delhi.
Home Minister Shah said that the government is focusing on three pillars which are risk reduction, early warning systems and zero casualty. He stressed that the zero casualty approach should not be limited to disaster sites but should also focus on preventing disasters.
The Home Minister said that over the last 12 years, there has been a comprehensive transformation in country’s approach and methodology towards disaster management. He highlighted initiatives such as Mission LiFE, Pro-Planet People and the International Solar Alliance as important contributions towards disaster prevention. He said the government’s goal is to create disaster-resilient villages and cities.
Mr Shah said that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) have responsibilities ranging from policymaking to training and implementation, keeping in view emerging disaster risks arising from global warming and climate change. He directed both institutions to study global research and implement relevant findings in India according to local requirements. He called for permanent preparedness to deal with locust swarm attacks originating from Pakistan and stressed the need to give priority to committed personnel in disaster management training. He also directed NDMA and NIDM to jointly issue nationwide guidelines specifying what should and should not be done during different types of disasters. The Minister emphasized the need for research to identify the causes of disasters and directed NDMA, NIDM, NDRF and SDRF to jointly study the causes of damage and prepare detailed reports.
Mr Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that the distribution of disaster funds should also follow a scientific process. He noted that allocation under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) has increased nearly fourfold, while allocation under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) has increased nearly threefold. He also called for wider adoption of the disaster management mobile application in higher, secondary and primary education sectors. He directed all stakeholders to establish dedicated cells in their departments and asked department heads to review implementation every three months.
