Lok Sabha Question No. 3532 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-10
Subject: Civil Defence
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3532

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2019/AGRAHAYANA 19, 1941 (SAKA)

CIVIL DEFENCE

3532. SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the programmes for development of civil defence along with the number of persons presently working in Civil Defence in the country;
- (b) whether the institution of civil defence has been able to achieve its desired objectives during the last three years and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of training facilities and financial assistance provided to the said institution during the said period;
- (d) whether the Government has mooted a proposal to involve Civil Defence and Civil Society groups in tackling disaster  and for its mitigation efforts;
- (e) if so, the details of the Civil Defence forces deployed during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (f)  whether the Government is contemplating to devise a multi-pronged strategy aimed at disaster management in the future; and
- (g) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) Government of India has a reimbursement policy on Civil Defence measures under which the expenditure incurred on raising, training and equipping for civil defence  personnel  is  poolable  and  sharable  between  the  Central  and  State Governments. The policy is available on website at https://dgfscdhg.gov.in/policies-reimbursement-0

## LS.US.Q.NO.3532 FOR 10.12.2019

A  Centrally  sponsored  scheme  for  mainstreaming  of  Civil  Defence  for Disaster Risk Reduction was approved in the year 2014-15 for Rs. 291 crore to strengthen the Civil Defence set up in the country and community participation in the disaster management. The scheme has since been subsumed in State Plan Funds.

The number of persons presently working in Civil Defence in the country is approximately 5.42 lakhs.

- (b) National Civil Defence College Nagpur, now merged into National Disaster Response  Force  Academy,  Nagpur,  is  the  premier  training  institution  for  civil defence at national level.  It has been able to achieve its desired objectives by :

i) Improvement in training methodology & updation in training modules.

- ii) Inclusion of latest updates in the fields of disaster planning, preparedness and response in the training syllabus.
- iii) Introduction of 'learning by doing' concept and introduction of participative knowledge and skill oriented training techniques for the trainees.
- iv) Improved infrastructure i.e. class rooms and hostel facilities; &, Increasing trainers' to trainees' ratio brought to international standard at 1:4

During  the  years  2016  to  2018,  a  total  number  of  3,130  personnel  have  been imparted training under various courses. Government has approved an outlay of Rs.  125  crore  for  setting  up  of  new  infrastructure,  additional  land,  specialized equipments, Information Technology, vehicles etc. for NDRF Academy.

## (c) Details are at Annexure-I

(d)  &  (e):  The  Civil  Defence  Act  1968  has  been  amended  by  the  Civil  Defence (Amendment) Act 2009 to include the disaster management as an additional role for the  Civil  Defence  volunteers,  while  retaining  its  primary  role  of  protecting  the citizen  and  the  property  from  hostile  attack.  Detail  regarding  deployment  of  civil defence  personnel  by  respective  States  /  UTs  is  not  centrally  maintained  by  the Central Government.

(f)  to  (g):  The  Central  Government  has  undertaken  a  multi-pronged  strategy  for disaster  management,  by  developing  a  holistic,  proactive,  multi-disaster  oriented and technology driven strategy through a culture of prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response.

The Disaster Management Act, 2005 articulates the need for mainstreaming Disaster  Risk  Reduction  (DRR)  into  development  planning.  There  are  institutional mechanisms at the National, State & district level viz. National Disaster Management  Authority  (NDMA),  State  Disaster  Management  Authority  (SDMA)  & District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in the country to develop appropriate preparedness, coordination and prompt response mechanism  for effective management of natural disasters.

The  National  Policy  on  Disaster  Management,  2009  and  National  Disaster Management  Plan  2019 seek to build  a  safe  and  disaster resilient India.   Central

## LS.US.Q.NO.3532 FOR 10.12.2019

## LS.US.Q.NO.3532 FOR 10.12.2019

Government  has  also  established  a  robust  early  warning  system  and  forecasting agencies are continuing their efforts for the improvement of warning and dissemination  systems  vigorously.  Mock  exercises  and  community  awareness programmes are being regularly conducted to educate people/ farmers/ fisherman at the time of natural calamities.

The measures taken by the Central and State Governments have significantly improved disaster management practices, preparedness, prevention and response mechanism resulting in significant reduction in loss of human lives during natural calamities in the country. Further, strengthening of the disaster management is a continuing and evolving process.

*****

Annexure-I

Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 3532 due for answer on 10.12.2019

Details  of  training  facilities  available  in  the  National  Civil  Defence  College (NCDC),  Nagpur  {(now  merged  into  National  Disaster  Response  Force  Academy (NDRF) Academy, Nagpur)} as on 31.03.2019

|   S. No. | Description                                 |   Numbers |
|----------|---------------------------------------------|-----------|
|        1 | Old Hostel Rooms                            |        68 |
|        2 | New Hostel Rooms                            |        50 |
|        3 | Mess                                        |        01 |
|        4 | Dining Hall                                 |        02 |
|        5 | Adm. Block                                  |        01 |
|        6 | Conference Room                             |        01 |
|        7 | Class Room                                  |        02 |
|        8 | Library                                     |        01 |
|        9 | Auditorium                                  |        01 |
|       10 | Drill Shed                                  |        01 |
|       11 | RRC Tower                                   |        02 |
|       12 | Narrow Gauge Train Bogie (Training purpose) |        02 |
|       13 | Heli-Slithering Tower                       |        01 |
|       14 | Swimming Pool                               |        01 |
|       15 | Training Store                              |        02 |

Financial  Assistance  provided  by  the  Central  Government  to  National  Civil Defence College, Nagpur (now merged into NDRF Academy, Nagpur) For the financial year 2016-17 : Rs. 3.14 crore For the financial year 2017-18 : Rs. 3.82 crore For the financial year 2018-19 : Rs. 4.62 crore