Lok Sabha Question No. 3561 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-10
Subject: National Disaster Response Force
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Manickam Tagore B, DNV Senthilkumar. S.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3561

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  AUGUST, 2021/ SRAVANA 19, 1943 (SAKA)

NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE

3561.     SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B.: DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S.:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  and  the  number  of  battalions  of  the  National  Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at present;
- (b) whether the Government is undertaking adequate capacity building of NDRF to provide assistance to the States in the event of calamity, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether adequate training is provided to NDRF personnel in the event of a calamity, if so, the number of personnel trained and amount incurred therein;
- (d)  the  number  of  NDRF  personnel  deployed  and  number  of  persons rescued during the recent cyclonic storms which struck the country in the year 2020 and 2021;
- (e)  whether the preparedness of the NDRF has been reviewed in view of unpredictable disaster in the country, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  whether  any  compensation  is  paid  to  wards  of  deceased  NDRF personnel who lost their life while being deployed during calamity, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a): At present, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has    16 Battalions (Bns). Out of these, 12  NDRF  Bns are  operational  and

## L.S.US.Q. NO.3561 FOR 10.08.2021

deployed as per vulnerability profile of the country to provide immediate response during disasters. The personnel of four new Bns are undergoing training before their deployment. The details of 12 operational Bns are at Annexure-I.

(b) to (e): Capacity  building  and  operational  preparedness  of  NDRF  are monitored  and  reviewed  at  regular  intervals.  The  details  of  various measures taken for capacity building, training and preparedness of NDRF are as under:

- (i) Training  is  a  continuous  process  and  all  NDRF  personnel  after induction, undergo  19  weeks  'Basic  Course  of  Disaster  First Responder' at Bn level. In the year 2020-21 and 2021-22, a total of 3596  and 2605  NDRF  personnel  respectively have  undergone induction training.
- (ii) NDRF personnel are regularly trained for upgrading their skills for effectively responding to all types of disasters, natural as well as manmade including Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) emergencies.
- (iii) NDRF is equipped with state of art equipment to deal with various manmade and natural disaster situations.

## L.S.US.Q. NO.3561 FOR 10.08.2021

- (iv) NDRF  Academy  is  imparting  training  to  NDRF  personnel/  SDRF personnel in various disaster management courses.
- (v) NDRF  personnel  are  also  nominated  to  participate  in  various international events i.e. training courses /seminars/workshops etc., which  are  aimed  at  updating  their  skills  about  best  practices  in Disaster  Management,  knowledge  of  sophisticated  equipment  & techniques being adopted globally.
- (vi) Capacity  building  programmes  of  NDRF  as  well  as  of  various stakeholders, including school safety programmes, are undertaken to enhance preparedness of the community.
- (vii) NDRF  regularly  conducts  mock  drills  with  various  stakeholders such  as  Indian  Railways,  State  Disaster  Management  Authorities (SDMA),  National  Disaster  Management  Authority  (NDMA),  State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Multi Accidental Hazardous Industries (MAH) and schools etc;
- (viii) NDRF is relentlessly engaged in the 'Community Capacity Building and  Public  awareness  and  preparedness  programme'  of  SDRF, State  Police,  Home  Guards,  Civil  Defence,  Fire  Services,  National Cadet Corps (NCC), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Nehru Yuva  Kendra  Sangathan  (NYKS),  Students,  Volunteers  and  other stakeholders.

## L.S.US.Q. NO.3561 FOR 10.08.2021

During the year 2020-21 and 2021-22, Rs. 1,27,47,436/- and Rs. 30,60,618/(as on 05.08.2021) respectively have been spent by NDRF from the allotted budget for training of NDRF personnel.

The  details  of  NDRF  deployment  and  number  of  persons  rescued  and evacuated during the recent cyclonic storms, which struck the country in the year 2020 and 2021 are as under:

|   Year |   Number of NDRF |   Persons rescued | Persons evacuated*   |
|--------|------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
|   2020 |              150 |                44 | 15,34,109            |
|   2021 |              184 |              1030 | 24,77,190            |

*NDRF  teams  assisted  State  Administrations  in  evacuation  of  affected persons  to  safer  places  (the  evacuations  figures  are  provided  by  the respective States).

- (f): NDRF personnel are on deputation from various Central Armed Police Forces/Assam  Rifles  and  all  the  financial  benefits/compensation  to  the wards  of  deceased  personnel,  who  lost  their  lives  while  being  deployed during  calamity,  are  given  by  his/  her  parent  Central  Armed  Police Forces/Assam Rifles. The details of compensation/facilities provided to the next of kin of deceased NDRF personnel are at Annexure-II.

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## 12 Battalion HQ location

| Name of NDRF Bn   | Location                     |
|-------------------|------------------------------|
| 01 Bn NDRF        | Guwahati (Assam)             |
| 02 Bn NDRF        | Haringhata, (West Bengal)    |
| 03 Bn NDRF        | Mundali, (Odisha)            |
| 04 Bn NDRF        | Arakkonam, (Tamil Nadu)      |
| 05 Bn NDRF        | Pune, (Maharashtra)          |
| 06 Bn NDRF        | Vadodara, (Gujarat)          |
| 07 Bn NDRF        | Bhatinda, (Punjab)           |
| 08 Bn NDRF        | Ghaziabad, (Uttar Pradesh)   |
| 09 Bn NDRF        | Bihta, (Bihar)               |
| 10 Bn NDRF        | Vijaywada, (Andhra Pradesh)  |
| 11 Bn NDRF        | Varanasi, (Uttar Pradesh)    |
| 12 Bn NDRF        | Doimukh, (Arunachal Pradesh) |

## Details  of  compensation/facilities  provided  to  the  next  of  kin  of  deceased  personnel  of NDRF

- (i) Central Ex-gratia : The Central ex-gratia lump-sum compensation has been enhanced with effect from 01/01/2016 from Rs.15 lakh to Rs.35 lakh for death on active duty and from Rs.10 lakh to Rs.25 lakh for death on duty, as the case may be, to the Next of Kin (NoK) of the deceased personnel.

(ii) Extra  Ordinary  Pension :  The  NoK  of  the  deceased  personnel  are  entitled  to  get liberalized Family Pension under Central Civil Service (Extra Ordinary Pension) Rules, 1939.

(iii) Service  Benefits :  All  service  benefits  viz,  Death-cum-Retirement  Gratuity  (DCRG), Leave Encashment, Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme (CGEGIS), General Provident Fund (GPF), etc. are admissible.

- (iv) Force Level Welfare Schemes : NDRF is deputationist force and personnel in NDRF came from Central Armed Police Forces(CAPFs) and Assam Rifles(ARs). Each of the force has  set  up  force  level  welfare  schemes  for  their  personnel  such  as  Benevolent  Funds, Financial  Assistance/Scholarship  to  the  children  for  education,  financial  assistance  for daughter's/sister's  marriage,  etc.  NDRF  personnel  are  also  getting  these  benefits  through their respective forces.
- (v) Funds from 'Bharat Ke Veer' :  'Bharat  Ke  Veer'  is  an  online  portal  which  enables people  to  donate  voluntarily  to  the  NoKs  of  personnel  who  sacrifice  their  lives.  Such contributions are made online directly to the accounts of NoKs. In addition, funds received in Bharat Ke Veer corpus are also distributed to the Noks of such personnel.
- (vi) Operation Casualty Certificate :  Operation  Casualty  Certificate  (OCC)  are  given  to the NoKs of NDRF personnel who lost their lives while being deployed during calamity on the lines of Battle Casualty Certificate in Armed Forces. OCC entitles NoKs to certain benefits viz Air and Rail travel fare concession, allotment of Petrol Pumps, etc. on the lines of benefits available to NoKs of the Armed Force personnel.
- (vii) Prime Minister Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) : Under PMSS, an amount of Rs.3000/per month for girls and Rs.2500/- per month for boys is released to the wards of serving/ExNDRF personnel.

(viii) Provision  of  Ex-gratia  compensation  by  the  States/UTs :  Many  States/Union Territories  have  also  made  provision  to  pay  compensation/assistance  to  NoKs  of  NDRF personnel as per their own rules.

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