The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai has said that India will play a leading role in the future global political framework in terms of economy and Disaster Risk Management (DRM). He corroborated the enthusiasm and vision of the Prime Minister Shri Narenda Modi through his famous 10 point agenda for DRM and maintained that Item 5 of the agenda i.e. Leveraging S&T, besides Item 6 - Develop a network of universities to work on disaster-related issues cater to the Climate Risk Management.

Presiding over the Valedictory Programme of the International Science & Technology Conference organized by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, on Thursday, 27^th August 2020, through Video Conferencing, Shri Rai expressed faith in the S&T talent in our country and said that the motive of S&T should be to reach to the last mile connectivity and every needy person in our motherland.

Lauding the efforts of NIDM and DST for bringing best minds together at one platform to think together, speak together and arrive at solutions of various looming and burning questions pertaining to disaster resiliency of our country and to foster science and technology applications towards the vision of the Prime Minister, Shri Rai said that the outcomes and recommendations of the 3-day conference should be given the shape of reality in times to come.

Convenor of the Conference, Professor Anil K. Gupta, HoD, ECDRM Division, NIDM presented a summary of the conference and enumerated the key takeaways. Executive Director NIDM, Major General Manoj Kumar Bindal highlighted the relevance of this event in the emerging contexts of disasters, climate and development. Dr. Jigmet Takpa, Joint Secretary (MoEF&CC) emphasized upon the need for synergy and collaboration between Government and Non Government agencies working for Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and DRR in the country. Shri Sanjeev Jindal, JS (DM) expressed solidarity and determination of the Disaster Management Institutional Mechanism prevalent in the country and its diverse roles at times of crisis. 

The Inaugural session of the conference on August 25, 2020 was addressed by the Minister for S&T and Health & Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan. The international programme was organized under the Climate Adaptive Planning Project supported by the Department of Science and Technology. Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Former Secretary UGC, and Advisor, DST, GOI, as the chair of the organizing committee highlighted the need of institutional strengthening and research focused science application and integration to policy process for integrating disaster resilience and to cope with challenges of climate change in the country. Secretary DST, Dr Ashutosh Sharma, delivered the Keynote Address, as the Special Guest, while Secretary NDMA, Shri G V V Sarma gave a special address, highlighting the science innovation and science cooperation initiatives by DST for climate and disaster resilience. Member NDMA, Shri Kamal Kishore, in his remarks focused on the need of coordination of various dimensions of research domains for effective outcomes.

Programme was attended by experts, Government officers, S&T luminaries, Policy Planners, Implementers and Practitioners from across India and also from more than 10 countries. 

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NW/RK/AD/SS/DDD