New Delhi, Nov 18: India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that India has moved ahead from disaster mitigation to risk reduction.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Asia Leaders’ Meeting towards Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia and 2nd International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Asia Partnership (IAP) meeting of 2015 here on Tuesday, Singh said that multi-dimensional aspects of disaster related risks should be dealt with affirmative action.
The Union Home Minister said India has been drawing the best practices around the World to improve its system and processes for Disaster Management. Our national policies include mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction and development programs, besides community resilience building, he added.
“We have been actively pursuing a paradigm shift in disaster management from a relief centric approach in the past to a holistic one, that encompasses preparedness, prevention, mitigation and risk reduction. We have established robust Institutional structures from National to provincial level with legislative back up and policy framework for enhancing our capabilities to reduce risk and loss to economy,” said Singh.
Calling upon all entities, public and private, to strengthen the international support mechanisms for disaster risk reduction by sharing of reliable and affordable modern technology for capacity-building, the Union Home Minister hoped the Asia Ministerial Meeting and IAP meeting will set the agenda for the First Asia Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) after the advent of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) due be held in New Delhi in November next year.
Singh hoped the meeting would help devise future strategies for identification of risks, challenges and equal distribution of scarce resources ultimately contributing to achieve sustainable development goals.
Margarete Wahlstrom, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction conferred the ‘Asia Leader for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)’ honour for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) on the Junion Minister in the Home Minister Kiren Rijiju.
The function was attended by Ministers from China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, South Korea and Thailand, delegates from various countries and international organizations.
Accepting the honor, Rijiju said, “This recognition is an onerous responsibility on India and in my personal capacity to make India, Asia-Pacific and the world as a whole safer and better prepared to deal with any disaster.”