New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS): The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has rescued over 7.13 lakh people trapped in disasters in 7,600 operations since its inception in 2006, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said on Friday.
In his address at 17th Raising Day of the Force here, he said due to the high level of efficiency, determination and hard work of NDRF personnel, it has been setting new records in the field of disaster management while continuously engaged in relief and rescue operations. Today, NDRF has made a mark in the field of disaster response and disaster mitigation across the globe in disaster management with its hard work and selfless humanitarian services, he added.
Noting that disaster management is a specialised field, Rai said that the NDRF is a unique force with the capability to provide relief in all kinds of disasters like building collapses, floods, tsunamis, cloudbursts, earthquake, landslides, cyclones, train accidents etc.
"Equipped with diverse capabilities, specialised training and modern equipment, NDRF is the world's largest force due to its ability to deal with natural disasters as well as man-made disasters," he added.
He also said that NDRF personnel have accomplished their goals effectively and their response to crises has been appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as well as countrymen at every level. This is the reason that this force has become synonymous with trust and confidence among the common people at the time of disaster for the citizens, he added.
Inaugurating two new camp complexes of RRCs (Regional Response Centre), he said that these will provide better facility and environment to its personnel and they will also be able to improve their efficiency.
Referring to the NDRF's other activities, the Minister also said that it was a matter of pride that apart from effective disaster relief operations, it is also working beyond borders for mutual cooperation in the field of disaster risk reduction and has successfully organized many international programmes/events wherein exercises with SAARC member countries, SCO member countries and BIMSTEC member countries are prominent activities to gain experience from the other countries.