NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asked states to prepare an action plan for disaster management and mitigation at the district level within the next 90 days. He also urged them to conduct inter-state mock drills annually for events like cyclones.Addressing the annual conference of Relief Commissioners of States, Union Territories, and Disaster Response Forces as the chief guest, the Home Minister said there should also be a state-level action plan against lightning and thunderstorms, and called upon states to share it with the Centre within the next three months.“We will complete the work of making district disaster management plans for each district in their respective states within 90 days. Unless there is a district disaster management plan, it is not possible to mitigate disaster with speed… I request everyone to make a state-level action plan against lightning and thunderstorms. All the states and UTs should share it with the Centre within 90 days,” Shah said.“We want to make interstate mock drills an annual programme. I believe disaster mitigation is not possible without the help of states. There are many cyclones, many disasters that require interstate mock drills, and we cannot do this without the help of the states. We want to move forward on this in the coming days,” he further said.Highlighting the need to integrate the start-up ecosystem with disaster relief technology, the Home Minister asserted that states should begin brainstorming on the concept. “We want to move forward on this in the coming days. We also want to link Start-up India with the development of disaster relief technology. I am telling you in advance that states should also start brainstorming for this…” he said.Applauding the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) for their role in bringing India closer to becoming a global leader in disaster management, Shah said, “It is a matter of joy for all of us that within 10 years, these three institutions have done a great job in disaster mitigation.”He added, “The NDMA has done commendable work in structuring policy matters, doing research work, delivering articles of various types of studies to the people, making many apps and overall coordination of policy matters… The NDRF has created its image in the entire country, and has also earned fame and respect worldwide.”
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