New Delhi, India — In a significant move towards strengthening disaster resilience across the country, a High-Level Committee (HLC) chaired by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, has approved numerous disaster mitigation and capacity-building projects for various states. The meeting, held in New Delhi today, also included Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister, and Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog as members.
The HLC reviewed and approved nine proposals for funding from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). These projects aim to combat urban flooding in six cities, mitigate Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) in four hill states, and enhance fire services in three states. Additionally, the committee endorsed the implementation of the Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme across all 28 states.
Urban Flood Management
Six project proposals for urban flood management were approved for the states of Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Maharashtra, amounting total of Rs. 2,514.36 crore. These projects target major cities including Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune. Previously, on November 27, 2023, the HLC had approved a similar project for Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with an outlay of Rs. 561.29 crore.
Three project proposals for the expansion and modernization of fire services were sanctioned for Assam, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, with a combined total of Rs. 810.64 crore. The Central Government has allocated Rs. 5,000 crore under the NDRF for this scheme, having already approved projects in 11 states with a total outlay of Rs. 1,691.43 crore.
The HLC also greenlit a project proposal for GLOF risk mitigation for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, totaling Rs. 150 crore. This initiative aims to equip these states with the necessary measures to address GLOF risks effectively.
Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme
In line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a disaster-resilient India, the Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme (YAMS) was approved with an outlay of Rs. 470.50 crore from the NDRF. This scheme will be implemented in 315 of the most disaster-prone districts, training 1,300 Aapda Mitra Volunteers as Master Trainers and 2.37 lakh volunteers from organizations like NCC, NSS, NYKS, and Bharat Scouts & Guides in disaster preparedness and response. This follows the success of the Aapda Mitra scheme, which has already trained around 1 lakh community volunteers in 350 disaster-prone districts.
During the current financial year, the Central Government has disbursed Rs. 6,348 crore to 14 states under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs. 672 crore to six states under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF). Additionally, Rs. 4,265 crore has been released to ten states under the NDRF.
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