The two-day International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) successfully concluded here today, setting the stage for taking the dialogue on resilient infrastructure forward at the global level.

The Workshop identified Best Practices in the Infrastructure Sector, as well as key issues in existing practices and ways to address them. Priority areas for collaboration on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure were also identified.

The Workshop was organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) jointly with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). MoS (Home) Shri Kiren Rijiju delivered the Valedictory Address.

“Resilient infrastructure is important not only for the aggregate economic growth but also for ending poverty,” said Shri Rijiju. He further added, “Our actions today, through investment in infrastructure, can reduce or increase the future risk. We need to shape policies that seek to not only reduce risk but also stop the creation of new risks.”

If we are able to build complete resilience in the country, there are studies which suggest that our GDP could go up by upto 2 per cent, he said, adding that the work on resilient infrastructure, however, needs to take into account the ongoing rapid urbanisation as unplanned urbanisation is closely linked to creation of new risks.

Delivering the valedictory address, Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, invited both NDMA and UNISDR to work together with NITI Aayog to help spread disaster awareness in society rapidly and widely. He also called for the need of ranking States in terms of their progress in Disaster Management.

Dr. P.K. Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, reiterated India’s commitment to working towards Disaster Risk Resilience along with the global community. He also praised the practical, outcome-based deliberations at the Workshop.

“This workshop has explored new dimensions, opportunities and challenges to resilient infrastructure. Deliberations here are crucial not only for achieving the targets identified in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction but also for achieving Prime Minister’s 10-point agenda, outlined during the Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR 2016,” said Dr. Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The day began with a facilitated cross-country panel discussion upon country-specific issues in Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. This was followed by technical sessions on standards for infrastructure and on the role of finance, including risk transfer mechanisms, in building resilient infrastructure. Discussions were also held on reconstruction and recovery of key Infrastructure Sectors after a disaster. Dr. V. Thiruppugazh, Joint Secretary, NDMA summed up the proceedings of the conference.

The workshop was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, yesterday. On Day 1, technical sessions were held on issues pertaining to Risk Management in key Infrastructure Sectors, viz. Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, and Risk Assessment.

Experts from 23 countries representing a wide variety of development and disaster risk contexts, multilateral development banks, the United Nations, the private sector, academics and other stakeholders participated in the workshop.

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