The Union Ministry of Home Affairs, has launched a “Scheme for Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services in the States” from the earmarked allocation of Preparedness and Capacity Building Funding Window under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for strengthening fire services in the States with a total outlay of Rs. 5,000 crore. An amount of Rs. 500 crore, out of the total outlay, has been kept for incentivizing the States on the basis of their legal and infrastructure-based reforms. A letter in this regard has been sent to the Chief Secretaries and Head of Fire Services of all States.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah had announced the scheme while chairing a meeting with Ministers of Disaster Management of the States/Union Territories in New Delhi on 13th June, 2023.

Under able guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, several key initiatives are being taken to ensure ‘zero death’ and minimum loss of property during disasters by strengthening disaster risk reduction system in India to make it disaster resilient.

Objective of the scheme is to expand and modernize Fire Services in the States with a view that activities for strengthening of fire services at the State-level through preparedness and capacity-building component of the NDRF will be ensured.

For seeking funds for the projects/proposals under the Scheme, the concerned State Governments shall have to contribute 25% (except for the North-Eastern and Himalayan (NEH) States which shall contribute 10%) of total cost of such projects / proposals from their budgetary resources.

The details of the scheme may be downloaded from website https://ndmindia.mha.gov.in of Disaster Management Division of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

The Scheme finds its origin from the recommendation of the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV-FC) which allows an allocation of 12.5 percent of each of the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) [10% of the total corpus of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) and the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF)] for the Funding Window of Preparedness and Capacity Building.

Out of the total National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) corpus, an amount of Rs. 5,000 Crore was earmarked for priority "Expanding and Modernization of Fire Services". There shall be no spill-over for the liabilities committed for the projects sanctioned against earmarked allocation beyond the award period.

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