Lok Sabha Question No. 1895 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-01
Subject: Modernization of Fire Services
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Krishna Pal Singh Yadav, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, DNV Senthilkumar. S.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1895

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST  AUGUST, 2023/ SRAVANA 10, 1945 (SAKA)

## MODERNIZATION OF FIRE SERVICES

1895.

DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

DR. SUJAY RADHAKRISHNA VIKHE PATIL:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

PROF. RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

DR. KRISHNA PAL SINGH YADAV:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S.:

## Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  launched  a  scheme  for  expansion, modernization and strengthening of fire services at the State-level through preparedness and capacity-building component of the NDRF and if so, the details thereof along with aims and objective behind the move;
- (b) the details of total outlay for the scheme and the details of the funds borne by Centre and States for the scheme;
- (c)  whether  the  Ministry  is  aware  of  the  large  scale  destruction  and flooding due to heavy rainfall in various States across the country;
- (d) whether the Ministry acknowledges that the compensation amount for disaster  relief  has  not  been  revised  after  2006  and  whether  it  plans  to amend the same;
- (e)  whether the Ministry has made arrangements for the rehabilitation of disaster  victims  and  providing  relief  to  people  suffering  loss  of  property and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  'zero  death'  and minimum loss of property during disasters by strengthening disaster risk reduction system in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (b): The  Government  has  launched  a  'Scheme  for  Expansion  and Modernization  of  Fire  Services  in  the  States'  on  04.07.2023  from  the earmarked  allocation  of  Rs.  5,000  Crore  of  Preparedness  and  Capacity Building  Funding  Window  under  the  National  Disaster  Response  Fund (NDRF)  for  strengthening  fire  services  in  the  States  for  the  period  upto 2025-26.

The measures included in the scheme provide for setting up of new fire stations,  strengthening  of  State  Training  Centres  and  capacity  building, provisions  for  modern  fire-fighting  equipment,  strengthening  of  State Headquarters  and  Urban  Fire  Stations,  technological  upgradation  and installation and augmentation of online system etc.  The detailed scheme is available at www.ndmindia.mha.gov.in.

Fund allocation under the scheme is on cost sharing basis of 75:25 with the  States,  except  for  North  Eastern  Hill  States  which  is  in  the  ratio  of 90:10.    While  the  Centre  will  provide  Rs.  5000  crore  to  the  States  for identified activities, the States' contribution will be of Rs. 1387.99 Crore.

An  amount  of  Rs.  500  crore,  out  of  the  total  central  outlay  of  Rs.  5000 crore will be available for incentivizing the States for adoption of legal and infrastructure-based reforms.

(c) to (e): The primary  responsibility  for  disaster  management,  including disbursal  of  relief  to  the  affected  people  on  ground  level,  rests  with  the State Governments.  The State Governments undertake relief measures in the  wake  of  natural  disaster  from  the  State  Disaster  Response  Fund (SDRF),  already  placed  at  their  disposal,  in  accordance  with  approved items  and  norms  of  the  Government  of  India. Additional financial assistance is provided from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as per  the  laid  down  procedure,  in  the  case  of  disaster  of  'severe  nature', which  includes  an  assessment  based  on  the  visit  of  Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).

The  release  of  funds  from  SDRF  /  NDRF  and  expenditure  therefrom  are governed by the 'Guidelines on constitution and administration of SDRF / NDRF' and items and norms issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, which are revised from time to time.  Based on the recommendations of 15 th  Finance Commission, revised guidelines were issued on 12.01.2022.  The items and

norms  of  expenditure  of  SDRF  /  NDRF  were  also  revised  and  issued  on 10.10.2022,  and  further modified  on  11.07.2023  for  the  period upto 2025-26.  The revised guidelines and items & norms of assistance under SDRF and NDRF are available at www.ndmindia.mha.gov.in.

(f): With its continuous efforts, the Government  have  significantly improved its approach towards disaster management in the country from relief-centric to a holistic approach of preparedness, prevention, response, recovery, mitigation and capacity building.  The Disaster Management Act, 2005  articulates  the  need  for  mainstreaming  Disaster  Risk  Reduction (DRR) into development planning. The National Policy and National Plan on Disaster  Management seeks to  strengthen  disaster  risk  reduction  in  the country.

There are institutional mechanisms at the National, State & District level in the country viz. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) & District Disaster Management Authorities  (DDMAs)  respectively  to  develop  appropriate  preparedness, coordination  and  prompt  response  mechanism  for  effective  management of natural disasters.

With various Government initiatives, there has been significant reduction in  mortality  in  disasters.  Further,  strengthening  of  the  disaster  risk reduction system is a continuing and evolving process of the governance.

Some  important  initiative  taken  by  the  Government  for  disaster  risk reduction are given as under:

- (i) National  Disaster  Management  Authority  (NDMA)  had  prepared  the National  Disaster  Management  Plan  (NDMP)  in  2016  and  further revised  it  in  2019.      In  the  NDMP,  the  priorities  of  the  Sendai Framework  have  been  integrated  into  the  planning  framework  for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) under the Thematic Areas for DRR.
- (ii) NDMA has released guidelines for management of disaster risks for various disasters which includes the aspects of disaster mitigation, preparedness as well as response activities.
- (iii) Aapda Mitra Scheme has been launched to train 1,00,000 community volunteers  in  disaster  rescue  in  350  multi-hazards  disaster  prone districts, covering all States/UTs.  Financial outlay of the scheme is Rs. 369.40 Crore.

- (iv) Common  Alerting  Protocol  based  Integrated  Alert  System  (Sachet) Phase-I  (CAP)  has  been  approved  for  integration  of  all  alerting agencies  in  a  Centralized  web-based  platform.    Financial  outlay  of the Scheme is Rs. 354.83 crore.
- (v) National  Disaster  Response  Force  (NDRF)  with  its  16  Battalions,  is located as per vulnerability profile of the country to provide immediate response during disasters or impending disaster situations.  Mock  exercises  and  community  awareness  programmes are  regularly  conducted  by  NDMA  and  NDRF  to  create  awareness among people.
- (vi) NDRF is implementing a Mock Exercises scheme in all 36 States/UTs on community disaster awareness in Floods, Cyclones, Earthquake, Landslide & CBRN in vulnerable areas with various stakeholders of Disaster Management / Response.
- (vii) NDRF  is  implementing  School  Safety  Programme  (SSP)  to  impart training on disaster response to children in 1200 vulnerable schools in all 36 States/UTs of India.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 1895 FOR 01.08.2023

- (viii) NDMA has taken the initiative to set up NGO-Coordination Centres at States/UTs and District levels.
- (ix) The Coastal areas in eight Coastal States, that experience frequent cyclones,  are  covered  under  the  National  Cyclone  Risk  Mitigation Project  (NCRMP)  for  building  capacities  in  cyclone  prone  areas  to reduce the loss of lives and livelihoods.
- (x) Fifteenth Finance Commission has recommended creation of National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) and State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) for a period from 2021-22 to  2025-26.  An amount of Rs. 68,463 crore is allocated for NDRMF and  Rs.  1,60,153  crore  for  SDRMF.    These  allocations  are  further divided into response fund and mitigation funds at the National and State  level,  which  together  cover  all  the  four  phases  of  disaster management cycle viz. preparedness, response, recovery & reconstruction and mitigation.

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