India to implement Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

India will implement the Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in letter and spirit, union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said on Monday.

Inaugurating a workshop on "Enhancing Private Sector Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction" here, the minister said that India has upscaled efforts to assist its neighbours and other countries in the field of disaster risk reduction.

The Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 was adopted during the third UN World conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan from March 14-18 this year where India was represented by union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The implementation of the Sendai Framework involves adopting integrated and inclusive institutional measures so as to work towards preventing vulnerability to disaster, increase preparedness for response and recovery and strengthen resilience.

Rijiju proposed that as a part of corporate-social responsibility, the private sector can play a big role in disaster preparedness and mitigation planning as well as relief and recovery phase.

Speakers representing the private sector assured that they would fully support the government and provide all possible help towards disaster risk reduction.

Rijiju said India has already started the preparatory work towards the hosting of the first Asian ministerial conference on disaster reduction in November next year.

As per the tradition, smaller level partnership meetings called the IAP (ISDR Asian Partnership) are held prior to the hosting of the main conference and the first IAP meeting will be held in New Delhi in November, 2015.

The workshop was also addressed by Margareta Wahlstrom, United Nations Special Representative of Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction.