Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday that India is on the cusp of becoming a global leader in crisis management, thanks to a decade of transformative efforts by its disaster response forces. Speaking at the Relief Commissioners and Disaster Response Forces Conference, Shah highlighted the remarkable progress made in capacity, speed, efficiency, and accuracy in disaster management over the past ten years.
“Speed is critical in disaster response. Our focus on timely action and saving lives has seen significant advancements through workforce training, cutting-edge technology, and robust early warning systems,” Shah said. He lauded the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for earning widespread respect and recognition across the country, noting its pivotal role in training State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) personnel.
Shah credited the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), NDRF, and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) for elevating India’s disaster management capabilities to global standards. He emphasized that India has shifted from a reactive relief-based approach to a proactive “Zero Casualty Approach,” which has garnered international acclaim.
“Ten years ago, disaster management was about post-calamity relief. Today, we are redefining it with a proactive strategy that has surprised the world,” Shah said. He underscored the importance of research to enhance early warning systems and the adoption of a unified approach involving central and state governments, local bodies, and communities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Looking ahead, Shah envisioned a future where every Indian youth is equipped to contribute to disaster response efforts. He also highlighted the government’s multi-dimensional approach, including a significant increase in funding. The NDRF budget rose from Rs 28,000 crore (2004–2014) to Rs 84,000 crore (2014–2024), while SDRF funding surged from Rs 38,000 crore to Rs 1.44 lakh crore over the same periods.
The CDRI, launched by PM Modi, was also praised as a global partnership of 49 members, including governments, UN agencies, multilateral banks, private sectors, and academia, dedicated to climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure solutions.
(IANS inputs)
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