Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken a significant stride in bolstering India’s disaster management capabilities by announcing three major schemes worth INR 8,000 crore. These schemes aim to save lives, protect property, and alleviate the economic impact of disasters.
Scheme 1: Modernisation of Fire Brigade Services in All States
Under this scheme, financial assistance will be provided to states for the modernization of their fire brigade services. The allocated funds, amounting to INR 3,000 crore, will be utilized to procure state-of-the-art fire-fighting equipment, train fire-fighters, and construct well-equipped fire stations across the country.
Scheme 2: Flood Mitigation in Seven Major Cities
To combat the perennial threat of flooding, this scheme extends financial assistance to seven major cities: Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. With a budget of INR 2,000 crore, the funds will be utilized to construct flood walls, implement advanced drainage systems, and develop other critical infrastructure to prevent flooding in these urban centers.
Scheme 3: Prevention of Landslides in 17 States
In order to mitigate the risk of landslides, financial assistance will be extended to 17 states: Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The allocated budget of INR 3,000 crore will be utilized to identify landslide-prone areas, construct retaining walls, and implement tree-planting initiatives to stabilize slopes.
These three schemes, administered by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), mark a pivotal advancement in India’s disaster management capabilities. The key features of these schemes include:
- Project proposals will be submitted by states to the NDMA for approval.
- The NDMA will closely monitor the implementation of the schemes.
- The schemes are scheduled to be completed within a three-year timeframe.
Anticipated to have a profound impact on India’s disaster management capabilities, these schemes will augment the country’s preparedness for disasters, mitigate the loss of life and property, and enhance resilience in the face of adversity.
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