What is National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) ?

In a bid to reduce the response time, keeping in view the country's vast geographic area, the cabinet has given its approval for raising four more battalions of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at an estimated cost of 637 crore rupees.

What is National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) ?

The NDRF was created in 2006 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 for specialist response during the natural and man-made disasters, it has a total of 12 battalions deployed across the country.

NDRF comes under National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the apex body for Disaster Management in the country, the Prime Minister of India is the chairman of the Authority.

The head of the NDRF is designated as Director General among IPS officers, DG wears the uniform and badges of rank of an army three-star general.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) consists of a force of 12 battalions, each of them includes persons on deputation from the para-military forces of India with each of them having a strength of approximately 1150 persons.

These battalions also includes engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads and medical paramedics. 4 out of these 12 battalions are also capable of responding to radio-logical, nuclear, biological and chemical disasters.

Centre and State's responsibility in Disaster Management

In India State Governments are tasked with Disaster Management while Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is the nodal agency for management of natural disasters.

In situations of calamities of severe nature, the Central Government is responsible for providing aid and assistance to the affected state on request of the state government. Central Government's assistance includes deploying of Armed Forces, Central Paramilitary Forces, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other assets available and needed.

Proactive deployment of NDRF forces is carried out by the NDMA in consultation with state authorities.