‘The NDMA would also be revamped’

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday stressed the need for revamping the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Appreciating the commendable work done by the agencies during various calamities over the years, Singh said the Government has decided to strengthen the NDMA.

The Home Minister also announced the raising of two new battalions of NDRF. One battalion will have 2,000 personnel. “We have decided to restructure the NDMA. It has to be revamped. We have almost completed the revamping and restructuring work,” he said addressing a function organised on the occasion of the foundation day of NDMA.

Singh said the initiative to revamp NDMA has been taken with the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  Government has already downgraded the posts of the vice-chairman of NDMA from the rank of Union Cabinet Minister to the Cabinet Secretary. The status of the members of the NDMA has also been reduced from the rank of the Union Minister of State to the Secretary of the Union Government. The Prime Minister is the Chairman of the NDMA.

Referring to the total collapse of communication network during recent floods in Jammu & Kashmir, the Home Minister said a new uninterrupted communication network will be set up in the country for smooth functioning during emergency situation. “A new mechanism is being developed and we will soon come up with a new uninterrupted communication network,” he said.