Shinde hails NDRF

Lauding the work of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) during calamities, including one in Japan, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today said the Centre would soon recommend Disaster Mitigation Medals for the brave personnel.
"NDRF personnel have done commendable jobs in different disasters by rescuing people in distress like cylone Phailin, landslide in Uttarakhand and other places, for which I recommend the proposed Disaster Mitigation Medal for them," Shinde said after taking salute at the 9th Raising Day Function of NDRF at Munduli in Cuttack.
Stating that the Centre was working to enhance the strength of NDRF from 10 battalions to 12 battalions, Shinde said plans were also made to deploy brave personnel of NDRF in major cities for immediate requirements.

"The excellent job of NDRF personnel during a disaster in a nuclear power plant in Japan has made India proud," Shinde said.
He said besides natural calamities, the NDRF personnel are trained and equipped to handle man-made disasters like biological, chemical, radiological and even nuclear accidents.
The Union Minister also praised the NDRF's community awareness programme as it would encourage the local people to take up rescue and relief operation on their own before arrival of any external assistance.
On cyclone Phailin that hit Odisha coast on October 13, the Union Minister said, "I was in constant touch with the Chief Minister during the calamity. A proper coordination between the state government and the NDRF personnel helped to mitigate miseries of the affected people," he said while thanking Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the support.

Besides Patnaik, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) vice-chairman M Sashidhar Reddy, NDRF director general Krishna Chaudhury, Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra attended the function marking the 9th Raising Day of the NDRF.