OSDMA bags SKOCH Award

The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has bagged the SKOCH Award, 2018 for its achievements in the field of disaster management.

The award, conferred by Skoch Group, covers the best efforts in the areas of finance, governance, banking, disaster management, technology, economics and inclusive growth.

The OSDMA received an Order-of-merit in the Gold category for constructing 879 multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters, that played a key role in saving human lives during Cyclone Phailin in 2013, a statement issued by the OSDMA said Friday.

It also bagged an 'Order-of-merit' in the silver category for constructing disaster resilient houses for about 17,000 Phailin affected families by relocating them to safer places.

The 'Order-of-merit Bronze was given to the OSDMA for its Early Warning Dissemination System for different hydro-meteorological disasters across the coastline of Odisha which will benefit 1,205 villages in 22 blocks of six coastal districts.

The award was received by Arabinda Ray, System Expert and MIS Specialist, OSDMA in New Delhi on February 25, the statement said.

The award is being given since 2003.

The OSDMA had received ICHL award, 2013 for Excellence in Humanitarian Action in the field of Disaster Management and many certifications for effective management of disasters, the statement said.

Odisha has come a long way since the 1999 Super Cyclone and has now become a model state in disaster preparedness and risk mitigation.