Three significant disaster management programmes totalling more than Rs 8000 crore have been unveiled by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. These programmes include a Rs 5,000 crore project to modernise and expand state fire services, a Rs 2,500 crore project for the seven most populous metropolises, including Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune, to lessen the risk of urban flooding, and an Rs 825 crore National Landslide Risk Mitigation Scheme in 17 States and Union Territories for landslide mitigation.
A comprehensive system under development
Earlier, this month, Amit Shah had ordered the National Disaster Management Authority and Ministry of Home Affairs to create thorough software by March 2024, in which scientific data would be made instantaneously available to all early warning agencies for distribution to the disaster management agencies.
Shah gave the order as he presided over a high-level conference in the nation's capital to examine general flood management readiness in light of the impending monsoon season. In addition, he said that traditional divers in rural areas should receive training in disaster rescue as part of the government's "Aapda Mitra" programme. He suggested that foreign expert agencies be brought in to help build this software.
An effort to lessen the loss of lives
During the discussion, the home minister also went through the long-term strategies for developing an all-encompassing strategy to lessen the nation's enduring flood difficulties. In order to lessen the loss of lives and livelihoods during disasters, he claimed that efforts are being made in the field of disaster management under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to him, the present five-day rain and flood forecast provided by the India Meteorological Department and CWC will be expanded to a seven-day forecast at the start of the following monsoon season in order to further enhance flood management.
