Conference on Revisiting India's Response Mechanism Challenges and Way Forward

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A one day Conference on 'Revisiting India's Disaster Response Mechanism : Challenges and Way Forward' was organized by the VIF in collaboration with Policy Perspectives Foundation (PPF) on May 6, 2016. Shri KirenRijiju, Hon'ble Minister of State for Home Affairs inaugurated the conference. Gen NC Vij, Director VIF delivered the welcome address and Shri KM Singh, Vice President PPF gave an overview of the conference. Participants in the conference included members from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Defence Services, AIIMS, Medical Services besides Govt, representatives from Nepal, Tamilnadu, Odisha, Bihar, Gujarat and Mizoram.

Shri KirenRijijuspoke about the need to bring high end technology to increase our capacity in the domain of response and he proposed that to achieve this it is essential to integrate all our key institutions such as IIT, IIM and ISRO in the area of research and development. Gen Vij mentioned about India's excellent response mechanism and highlighted the need for appropriate training infrastructure, well trained personnel and state of art equipments for NDRF. Shri KM Singh impressed upon the need of having three tier disaster response mechanism : NDRF at national level, SDRF at state level and Civil Defence, Fire Services, Police, NSS, Civil Society etc at district level.

The conference made certain recommendations which, inter alia, included establishing a dedicated training institution of international standard for response, SOP for quick decision for international deployment of NDRF in emergencies, certification for deployment of NDRF team under the aegis of UNOCHA, early administrative sanction for procurement of relief items as National Disaster Response Reserve, amendment of DM Act , 2005 to include SDRF in chapter VIII and implementation of report on 'Revamping of Civil Defence' (2009).