The government recently announced plans to appoint Disaster Management Volunteers, also known as Aapda Mitras, in 350 districts across the country. Alongside this, documents for the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) have also been released. CAP is a simple yet broad-ranging format used in all-hazard emergency alerts and public warnings across diverse networks.
About Disaster Management Volunteers Scheme
The Disaster Management Volunteers Scheme, launched in May 2016, is a Central Sector Scheme with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) serving as the implementing agency. This programme aims to identify apt individuals residing in disaster-prone regions who can be trained to become first responders during disasters.
The primary aim of this scheme is to equip community volunteers with necessary skills that enable them to respond to immediate needs of their community post a disaster. This initiative enables volunteers to undertake basic relief and rescue tasks during emergencies such as floods, flash floods, and urban flooding.
Objectives of the Volunteer Scheme
The Disaster Management Volunteer Scheme has several objectives. First, it seeks to empanel training institutions at the state and union territory level. Second, it aims to train community volunteers in life-saving skills of disaster response, coordination, assistance, and equip them with personal protective equipment and emergency responder kits. Third, the scheme envisions creating a Community Emergency Stockpile or Reserve at the district or block level, containing essential equipment such as light search and rescue gear, medical first aid kits, etc. Last, the scheme intends to disseminate training and educational tools developed under the project to more flood-prone districts in the subsequent phases of the scheme.
Additional Disaster-Related Initiatives
Several other initiatives related to disaster management have been put into effect both nationally and globally. Some of these national initiatives include the National Disaster Response Fund, the Disaster Management Act of 2005, and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). On an international level, initiatives such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) have been enacted.
About National Disaster Management Authority
The NDMA, which is the apex statutory body for disaster management in India, is headed by the Prime Minister. Formally constituted on 27th September 2006, in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the NDMA’s main purpose is to coordinate responses to natural or man-made disasters and build capacities for disaster resilience and crisis response. The NDMA envisions creating a safer and more disaster-resilient India through a holistic, proactive, technology-driven, and sustainable development strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention, preparedness, and mitigation.
Last Modified: February 13, 2024