Home Minister Amit Shah Gives Greenlight to Ambitious Disaster Management Plan

A High-Level Committee, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has approved several disaster mitigation and capacity building projects for various states. The committee met in New Delhi to consider proposals for funding from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund and National Disaster Response Fund on Thursday.

The approved projects aim to combat urban flooding in six cities, mitigate Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in four hill states, and strengthen fire services in three states. Additionally, the committee approved the implementation of the Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme in all 28 states.

The projects include urban flood management in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune at a total cost of Rs. 2514.36 crore. Expansion and modernization of fire services in Assam, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu will be undertaken at a total outlay of Rs. 810.64 crore. GLOF risk mitigation will be implemented in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh at a total outlay of Rs. 150 crore. The Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme will be implemented at an outlay of Rs. 470.50 crore to train volunteers in disaster preparedness and response.

The High-Level Committee also gave its approval for the Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme (YAMS) with a budget allocation of Rs. 470.50 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). This scheme will be implemented in 315 districts across the country that are most prone to disasters. The objective is to train 1300 Aapda Mitra Volunteers as Master Trainers and an additional 2.37 lakh volunteers from organizations such as NCC, NSS, NYKS, and Bharat Scouts & Guides in disaster preparedness and response.

These initiatives aim to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a disaster-resilient India by strengthening disaster risk reduction systems and ensuring effective management of disasters.