Disaster risk reduction, management turning into 'Jan Andolan': PK Mishra

Addressing the valedictory programme of the 3rd Session of the National Platform, Mishra, who attended all three sessions of NPDRR since 2013, expressed happiness over the enlarged scope of conversation and the breadth and depth of the discussions.

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra on Saturday said that sessions of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) are turning disaster risk reduction into a 'jan andolan' (public movement) as envisaged by PM Narendra Modi. India has emerged as the "first responder" to countries hit by natural disasters in "any part of the world", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

Addressing the valedictory programme of the 3rd Session of the National Platform, Mishra, who attended all three sessions of NPDRR since 2013, expressed happiness over the enlarged scope of conversation and the breadth and depth of the discussions. "With its pan-India presence, the event is turning disaster risk reduction into a 'Jan Andolan' as envisaged by the prime minister," Mishra said.

Underlining the importance of the theme of the session "Building Local Resilience in a Changing Climate", he said that it responds to the need for localising disaster risk management at a time when disaster risks are not only increasing but new patterns of risks are emerging. Mishra also referred to the Prime Minister's 10-Point Agenda which emphasizes the need for building local capacities and initiatives, and especially women's leadership in disaster risk management.

"Learning from the proceedings of the sessions will go into the implementation of the Prime Minister's ten-point agenda and the Sendai Framework," he said. Further, he suggested two overarching themes for the stakeholders to pursue.

"First, relates to professionalizing the disaster risk management setup at the State and district levels, and, second, developing programmes and interventions which are responsive to the needs of the people," he added. He further called for professionalizing the setup for it.

"All aspects of disaster management functions at all levels - national, state, and district- need to be supported by professionally trained staff, a fit-for-purpose structure, administrative infrastructure, modern workspace, and necessary facilities such as emergency operations centres," Mishra said, adding that this professionalization needs to cover both State Disaster Management Authorities and District Disaster Management Authorities. "The states have adequate resources and they will be supported by NDMA, NIDM, and NDRF in a coordinated manner," he added.

With regard to the second theme of programme development, Mishra said that policies and programmes go hand in hand. "In the development of programmes we must work across sectors. This will require combined efforts of disaster management, environment, water resources, education, urban development, agriculture and public health sectors," Mishra stated.

The Principal Secretary asked NDMA to consider developing inter-sectoral programmes as the appropriate context for advancing the application of disaster management. He also highlighted the need of prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable.

"The next three years are very critical and we must pursue this with single-minded focus," Mishra said. The principal secretary concluded by alerting the stakeholders of the slow progress on the Sendai Framework, whose eighth anniversary is in a week.

"More than half of this 15-year Framework's time has passed and the world is way off track from achieving the Sendai targets. We must rededicate ourselves to creating a more effective, more responsive system of disaster risk management to work towards a safer country and safer world with more resilient communities," Mishra added. (ANI)

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