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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has played a stellar role in rescuing victims of the Nepal earthquake (where they were operating essentially on foreign and unfamiliar terrain). But just weeks ago, in March 2015, members of the Standing Committee attached to the ministry of home affairs (MHA), which is the supervisory ministry for the NDRF, noted with alarm that vast sums of money meant for the body’s infrastructural requirements had been returned unspent. In 2014-15, Budget Estimate for the NDRF was Rs 200 crore — that is, the force was allotted Rs 200 crore in the Budget that year.
However, the force was unable to spend even this meagre amount: so, the revised estimates were reduced to Rs 50 crore. The actual expenditure is Rs 7.11 crore. Despite this, in 2015-16, NDRF has been allotted Rs 255 crore. NDRF got woefully little attention in the Standing Committee. But the queries were pointed and the replies, in the context of the earthquake, disconcerting.
Replying to the queries from members of the Standing Committee about the small financial outlays and low spending, a joint secretary in MHA said: “.... For the 10 battalions of National Disaster Response Force located in different parts of the country, there was a requirement for developing both residential as well as office accommodation and training infrastructure at the battalions. Keeping all these in view, a proposal was made for Rs 2,000 crore.
After a series of deliberations and discussions, finally, this scheme has, very recently, been cleared. The expenditure finance committee took place in October. Since the final clearance has only now been obtained, the progress has been slow. But, in the next year, it will pick up because clearances have been obtained and it has been conveyed.
The MHA also said the NDRF was still in the making and it was the state governments, which were primarily responsible for handling natural disasters. The NDRF’s interventions were more in terms of providing training and coordination.
An MHA officer told the Standing Committee: “We brought the National Disaster Management Policy in 2009. As per this policy, the primary responsibility for dealing with any disaster is with the state government.Therefore, at the time of disaster, there is a need for integrated response by all the concerned people together. And, as members might have seen in the field, whether it is the state police or the Fire Service or the Home Guards or the civil society members, including students, volunteers, NCC, National Service Society, everybody come together during disaster response.”
He further said: “Now, in addition to the normal set-up which is available, the State Governments are required to set up State Disaster Response Forces which will have their own capabilities in terms of reaching the place early and taking care of the disaster. As the hon. Members would appreciate, it is not the strength that is important. It is the shortest response time in reaching the disaster place that is important. So, in that connection, the Fire Service, because of a large number of fire stations, throughout the country, has got the potential to be gradually converted into a multi-hazard, a multi-disciplined force. Therefore, the emphasis of the Government of India is to see in what manner the Fire Services of State Governments can be trained and can be equipped not only for fire but also for other emergencies. In addition to all these, if a very big disaster happens, then, definitely, there is a need for a specialized force like the National Disaster Response Force to intervene.
Therefore, in that sense, the immediate presence of NDRF is not envisaged. It is not a primary responder. But the ten battalion location has been chosen in such a manner that every part of the country is covered. In addition, some States, from time to time, give proposals for more battalions.
And it is always that on the one side we have to see in what manner we have to equip a specialized force like the NDRF because it has multi-disciplinary strength including chemical, biological, radiological capabilities -- on the one side, you need to strengthen them – and on the other side, we have to also see that State forces are also strengthened. Keeping this in view, from time to time, the Government has been trying to see whether creation of more battalions is required. So, that process is a continuous process."
He further added that 21 states had constituted 'State Disaster Response Force' (SDRF) and NDRF personnel give training to SDRF personnel as and when required.
India has 29 states and seven Union Territories.
