The 3rd Session of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) concluded in New Delhi today. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Shri PK Mishra addressed the Valedictory programme. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai, Union Home Secretary, Member and Secretary (Incharge), NDMA, Director General NDRF, senior officers form MHA, NDMA, NDRF, NIDM and other stakeholders were also present on the occasion.

In his address, Shri PK Mishra expressed happiness about the enlarged scope of conversation and the breadth and depth of the discussions organised all over the country which has taken place in 19pre events covering all the relevant themes of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Disaster Risk Reduction is converted into ‘Jan Andolan’ as envisaged by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The Principal Secretary underlined the importance of the theme of the session “Building Local Resilience in a Changing Climate” as it responds to the need for localising disaster risk management at a time when disaster risks are not only increasing but new patterns of risks are emerging. Shri Mishra referred to the Prime Minister’s 10-Point Agenda that emphasizes the need for building local capacities and initiatives, and especially women’s leadership in disaster risk management. Learning from the proceedings of the sessions will go into implementation of the Prime Minister’s ten-point agenda and the Sendai Framework, he said.

Shri Mishra suggested two overarching themes for the stakeholders to pursue. First, relates to professionalizing the disaster risk management setup at the State and district levels, and, second, developing programmes and interventions which are responsive to the needs of the people. He said disaster preparedness and disaster mitigation needs to be professionalized on the lines of professionalization of disaster response that happened with the arrival of NDRF and SDRF. States, Shri Mishra said. The states have adequate resources and they will be supported by NDMA, NIDM, and NDRF in a coordinated manner, he added. He expressed satisfaction with the availability of resources for both the tasks of professionalization and programme development.

The Principal Secretary concluded by alerting the stakeholders of slow progress on Sendai Framework, whose eighth anniversary falls in one week. “More than half of this 15-year Framework’s time has passed and the world is way off track from achieving the Sendai targets. We must rededicate ourselves to creating a more effective, more responsive system of disaster risk management to work towards a safer country and safer world with more resilient communities”, he added.

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 3rd Session of NPDRR on Friday. The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah was also present on the occasion. The Prime Minister also inaugurated an exhibition for showcasing innovative ideas, initiatives, tools and technologies in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction. More than 100 exhibitors are participating in this exhibition which is now open to the public till 13^th March 2023. This exhibition has been an excellent platform for awareness about various initiatives in the field of DRR.

3^rd NPDRR was jointly organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM). NPDRR was comprised of four Plenary Sessions, one Ministerial Session, and eight Thematic Sessions. Over two days, more than 1200 subject experts, practitioners, academicians and delegates deliberated upon various cross cutting issues on disaster risk reduction based on the 10-point agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi  and the Sendai Framework.

The meeting was held during the Amrit Kaal, and the deliberation of the 3rd Session of NPDRR will help the Government in making India disaster resilient by 2030 under the Vision-2047 of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

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