Amit Shah launches 3 tech platforms to improve speed, precision of disaster management agencies
The home minister launched the Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR-ER), National Database for Emergency Management Lite 2.0 (NDEM Lite 2.0) and
Flood Hazard Zonation Atlas of Assam
at the two-day annual conference of relief commissioners, secretaries of disaster management and State Disaster Response Forces.
In a post on X, Shah said the three platforms "will equip our disaster management apparatus with the speed and precision of the new age technologies".
"The ICR-ER will prompt real-time response to disaster(s) across the nation by streaming satellite data to rescue agencies, and the NDEM Lite 2.0 will provide our response forces spread across nooks and corners with the agility to confront any calamity as a single unit," he said.
The atlas of Assam will guide flood control authorities to realise the goal of flood mitigation by providing them with real-time data related to floods, their impact, and water levels in rivers, the minister said.
Live Events
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on X that the Flood Hazard Zonation Atlas of Assam, a satellite-based analysis of flooding patterns in the state launched by the home minister, will help in regulating development in floodplains, promoting flood resilient agriculture, supporting crop insurance schemes and preparing disaster management plans.
"My gratitude to the Hon'ble Union Home Minister for releasing this much needed Atlas which will go a long way in mitigation of issues related to floods," he said.
Addressing the event, Shah said that due to climate change and global warming, the entire world is grappling with disasters and there is a need to move forward with environmental conservation as a core component.
"In the coming days, while everyone is fully prepared to tackle disasters, there is also a need to address their root causes," he said.
"Not only has our capacity to handle disasters been increased, but it has also been enhanced and extended to the tehsil level. Attention has been given to speed, as saving lives during a disaster is of utmost importance," he added.
The home minister said efficiency has been improved through the use of cutting-edge technology and the dedicated approach of disaster response forces.
Additionally, by providing accurate forecasting and early warnings, society has been made aware and successfully engaged in relief and rescue operations, he said.
Shah said that during the Modi government's tenure, there has been a significant shift in the approach related to disaster management.
Earlier, the approach was relief-centric, but now the goal of "zero casualty" has been successfully achieved and the focus has shifted from relief-centric to a comprehensive and integrated approach, he said.
He also emphasised the importance of anticipating future disasters, conducting advanced research, compiling global ideas in this field, and adapting them to suit India's geographical conditions. PTI
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
10 minutes ago
- Mint
Centre working on framework to help panchayats become financially-autonomous
New Delhi: The government is working on a framework to help village councils (panchayats) generate their own revenue and become financially autonomous, carrying out development works without relying on funds from the Centre or states. The Union Panchayati Raj ministry has set up a panel, consisting of senior officials from various state governments, which is tasked with formulating a blueprint that can act as a guide for states and Union territories (UTs) in creating and amending their model OSR (Own Source of Revenue) rules. "We have constituted a committee comprising senior officials from various state governments, to prepare a model OSR framework of panchayats, which can serve as a benchmark for the states in formulating and amending their OSR rules," Vivek Bharadwaj, secretary, ministry of panchayati raj, said. The template, to be shared with states and UTs, aims to plug the gaps in existing regulations and guide local bodies in mobilising revenue, which mainly comes from taxes, fees and other charges. The development assumes significance, as nearly a dozen states and UTs don't have OSR rules. The 22 states and UTs that have already formulated the rules need to update them, said Bharadwaj. Own Source Revenue (OSR) refers to the revenues that panchayats generate on their own, from sources such as property tax, water charges, market fees, trade licence fees and building permit fees. OSR rules help regulate, standardize, and empower panchayats to collect and manage the revenues efficiently. The OSR rules are crucial to panchayat as they empower them to function independently and also reduce over-dependence on central and state grants. Additionally, they support local development projects with locally-generated funds. According to Bharadwaj, there are 11 states and UTs that have not yet framed OSR rules. These include Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Ladakh and Lakshadweep. Twenty two states and UTs have already developed and implemented OSR-based regulations, allowing panchayats to levy and collect taxes, fees, tolls, or other local sources of revenue. Among these states are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Some States have detailed guidelines on fixing OSR rates. In many instances across the states, it has been observed that much more efforts need to be made towards fulfilment of these requirements. "Financial rules related to OSR generation were prepared long ago in states, and hence have been suffering from various deficiencies like use of incomprehensible legal jargons and lack of updating," Bharadwaj added. Panchayats, which act as grassroots-level bodies to implement government programmes and for achieving the sustainable development goals, get grants from the Centre, state governments, as well as raise their own revenue in a limited way through internal sources like local-tax revenues and user charges. "Self-sufficiency is an ideal state for gram panchayats as they can have more funds to carry out developmental works. However revenue collection is conditional as it depends on economic activities in a particular area," said Sri Hari Nayudu, economist, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), New Delhi. "Most of the time we are dependent on state government grants for developmental works, since most of us doen't know how to increase revenue. The proposed rules can guide us in that direction," said Gurcharan Singh, Panch-Charik Patti Sarkar, a rural local body in Moga district of Punjab. In 2021-22, the average per capita OSR collected by panchayats at all-India level was ₹ 100. Also, the average OSR for gram panchayat was ₹ 230,000 per year, with 42% of gram panchayats having less than ₹ 100,000 revenue per year. "The key reasons behind low revenue collection are over-dependence on grants, underutilization of tax powers, weak administrative systems and trust deficit with citizens which limit the revenue," said an economist who requested not to identified.
The Hindu
42 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP leaders to be questioned regarding Suresh Gopi's suspected leopard tooth pendant
At least two BJP leaders, who were seen accompanying Union Minister Suresh Gopi at Thrissur on the day he wore a chain with a pendant made of a suspected leopard tooth, will be summoned for interrogation. The Pattikkad Range Forest Officer is likely to issue notices to the party leaders to record their statements this week on a complaint filed by a Congress worker A.A. Mohamed Hashim. Mr. Hashim had complained that the act of wearing a leopard tooth, a wildlife trophy, was an offence punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The Forest department had recorded the statements of Mr. Hashim in this regard last month. Mr. Hashim, who shared the news video clips of Mr. Gopi walking along the Swaraj Round wearing the suspected wildlife trophy, had identified one of the accompanying persons as K.K. Aneeshkumar, the Thrissur district president of BJP. Though unable to name the other one, the complainant had said he was an identifiable person. In Kannur too He had indicated that the Minister was seen wearing the ornament made out of suspected leopard tooth at a public function in Kannur too. Mr. Hashim, while giving his statement to the department, wanted the suspected ornament to be seized and its period of manufacture ascertained. Information will be sought from the persons who were seen walking along with Mr. Gopi, on whether they had any idea that he was wearing the ornament made of a wildlife trophy. The possible existence of videos or pictures that would give clues on the material constituting the ornament will be explored, since the videos shared by the complainant are insufficient to prove the allegations, sources said. The investigating officer will decide on questioning Mr. Gopi after looking into the statements of the witnesses and the evidence, they said. Meanwhile, the Pattikkad Range Forest officer recently booked a wildlife crime against a person arrested by the Thrissur police for allegedly possessing suspected narcotic substances the other day. A suspected leopard tooth, ivory and a few strands of elephant tail hair were also recovered from the accused. The suspected wildlife trophies would be sent for analysis to ascertain their genuineness. If confirmed, the accused would be prosecuted under the Wildlife Protection Act, sources said.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Shivakumar sailing in two boats on Dharmasthala issue: Pralhad Joshi
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar seems to be sailing in two boats on the issue of Dharmasthala burials case, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Sunday. 'On the one hand, Mr. Shivakumar suspects conspiracy behind the whole issue, while on the other hand, he blames the BJP for the protest against digging in Dharmasthala. This ambivalence is not easily understood,' he told reporters in Varur near Hubballi. He was responding to Mr. Shivakumar's statement on the BJP organising protests against SIT investigation. He has made a comment saying that Dharmasthala is not the BJP's private property. 'What does he mean by this? Should we keep quiet when Hindu holy places are under attack?' he said. He said that he strongly suspected that there is a conspiracy to take over the Dharmasthala temple by the State government. 'There is reason to believe that there is such a conspiracy. That is because the Congress government has tried to take over the wealth of Hindu temples in the past,' he said. The Deputy Chief Minister should clarify what he means by his statement. 'Has any BJP leader claimed that Dharmasthala is BJP's private property?' he asked. The State government has formed the SIT on the statement of an anonymous man. Will it order a SIT probe if someone says there has been a spate of murders in a dargah?' he asked. He sought action against vested interests who are making 'irresponsible statement' about Dharmasthala. Sri Gunadharanandi Maharaj, seer of the Jain math in Varur, said that the SIT probe will uncover the truth and expose the lies being spread about Dharmasthala. He said that the government should take action against those who are spreading slander against the holy place.
