New Delhi: The 2nd meeting of National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) will be held in New Delhi on May 15-16, 2017 on the theme ‘Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development: Making India Resilient by 2030’. The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh will preside over the Inaugural Session on May 15, 2017 while the Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju will address the Valedictory Session on May 16, 2017. It will have an exclusive Ministerial session besides Plenary session on the theme “National Perspective on Disaster Risk Reduction: Sendai and Beyond”. There will also be five Technical sessions on the themes “Understanding Disaster Risk”, “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance to Manage Disaster Risk”, “Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction for resilience”, “ Enhancing Disaster Preparedness for Effective Response and to Build Back Better in Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction” and “Sendai Framework for DRR: Monitoring”.
The National Platform aims to bring together the whole range of India’s disaster risk community from Government, Parliamentarians, Local Self Governments, Media, International Organizations, NGOs, local community representatives, scientific and academic institutions and corporate businesses etc. It will help in sharing of experiences, views and ideas, present findings of research and action and explore opportunities for mutual cooperation in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
The multi-stakeholder NPDRR was constituted by the Government in 2013. NPDRR is chaired by the Union Home Minister and Minister of State in-charge of Disaster Management in the Ministry of Home Affairs is the Vice Chairperson of NPDRR. The other members of NPDRR are 15 Cabinet Ministers, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Minister of each State Government/ UT dealing with the subject Disaster Management; representatives of Local Self-Governments and Parliament (4 members from Lok Sabha and 2 from Rajya Sabha), ex-officio members, Heads of institutions of national importance, persons representing industry, media representatives, civil society organizations and international representatives.
The main functions of the NPDRR are:
To review the National Disaster Management Policy and progress made in the field of Disaster Management from time to time.
To appreciate the extent and manner in which the Disaster Management Policy has been implemented by the Central and State Governments, and other concerned agencies, and to give appropriate advice in the matter.
To advise on coordination between the Central and State Governments/UT Administrations, local self-governments and civil society organizations for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Apart from members of NPDRR, representatives from State Governments (Resident Commissioners, Relief Commissioners, SDMAs, select DDMAs, select local government representatives, heads of fire service and civil defence), representatives from Central Governments, select public sector organizations, institutions of national importance, private sector, financial institutions, professional experts, and NGOs are going to participate in the meeting. About 1,000 participants are likely to attend the meeting.
The output from the National Platform will offer a strategic direction and a roadmap for the formulation of our future national action plans on DRR. The NPDRR will help sensitize the participants about important initiatives at global and national level on DRR, including AMCDRR 2016, and the Asia Regional Plan 2016, Prime Minister’s 10 point agenda on DRR.
Key expected outcomes of the two-day Conference include:
To obtain consensus of the states/UTs for conducting Multi-hazard Risk Vulnerability Assessment within specific timeframe.
To explore how Hazard Risk Vulnerability Analysis (HRVA) outcomes can be integrated into policy formulation.
To identify constraints and find out their solutions in strengthening District Disaster Management Authorities in multi-hazard risk prone districts.
To develop a mechanism for compliance of building codes in urban areas and to develop building codes for rural areas.
To suggest various measures for promoting insurance as risk mitigation tool among the general public.
To explore possible areas/schemes for reducing risks of earthquakes, floods and landslides.
To strengthen Incident Response Forces at State/Local levels for effective response.
To have a mechanism in place for build-back-better.
To measure and monitor the performance of India on different priority areas/ targets of SFDRR
The first meeting of NPDRR was held on May 13-14, 2013 in New Delhi on the theme ‘Mainstreaming DRR in Development: From Risk to Resilience’. The proceedings of the meeting were forwarded to State Governments/UTs, nodal Ministries/ Department for appropriate action. Numbers of States and Central Ministries/organizations/department have reported action taken on the recommendations of the 1st meeting of NPDRR.
