Home Secretary Singh stresses on focused approach towards disaster management

New Delhi, May 29 (ANI): Home Secretary R.K Singh has emphasised on a more focused approach towards disaster management with an aim to deal with natural calamities.

"We have made substantial progress in setting up institutional mechanisms and their strengthening," Singh said at an annual conference on disaster management.

"The setting up of the National Disaster Management Authority at the national level and the State Disaster Management Authorities and in the district disaster management authorities by the majority of the states and union territories has helped in institutionalization of various activities under Disaster Management which in turn is catalyzing a more focused approach towards the whole gamut of disaster management," he added.

He also said that the disaster response force at the national and state level have helped the authorities to deal smoothly with the natural calamities.

"The setting up of the National Institute of Disaster Management and the creation of the specialized National Disaster Response Force at a national level and the State Disaster Response Force by some states has strengthened the capacity to respond to the disasters," he added.

Appreciating the capacity building program, Singh said that it would further enhance the disaster management schemes and policies.

"We have one innovation which is a welcome innovation and that is the capacity building. The government of India has also taken up several planned schemes for strengthening the disaster management mechanism," he added.

India is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, with a bulging population of 1.2 billion people, many living in areas vulnerable to natural hazards such as floods, cyclones, droughts and earthquakes. (ANI)