25-May-2017: Shri Kiren Rijiju presents Country Statement at Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction at Cancun, Mexico

A high level Indian delegation headed by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju is participating in the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) at Cancun, Mexico from May 22-26, 2017.

While presenting the Country Statement, Shri Kiren Rijiju briefed about the steps taken by India, after the adoption of the Sendai Framework. He said that in June 2016, Prime Minister of India launched the National Disaster Management Plan which aligns with the Sendai priorities. He said that, at Regional level, India had hosted the first Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction after the adoption of Sendai Framework in November 2016, which brought together more than 50 countries from the Asia-Pacific and adopted the Asia Regional Plan for the implementation of Sendai Framework.

Through strengthening statistical capacity, India is putting in place systems for monitoring progress and taking practical steps towards achievement of Sendai targets. He said that, with regards to Target A, India is analyzing the patterns of disaster mortality, both spatially and temporally, for different hazards and taking focused, urgent steps to reduce preventable deaths. India is on course towards achieving Target E of the Sendai framework pertaining to development of plans and strategies by 2020, he added. Shri Kiren Rijiju said that on 7th May, 2017, India had launched South Asia Geostationary Communication Satellite with an aim to support and improve communication, weather forecasting, natural resource mapping, disaster information transfer etc. among the South Asian countries, which demonstrates India's strong sense of commitment towards Target F and G. We are also mainstreaming Sendai principles in the national flagship programmes, he added.

Shri Kiren Rijiju said that DRR is a work in progress and in this respect we look for opportunities to collaborate with other countries, learn from their experiences and share what we have learned through ours work.

The Minister held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of GPDRR with Indonesia and Mongolia and also met representatives of civic societies from India who are attending GPDRR.

In one of the session on ‘Ensuring Risk Resilient Critical Infrastructure’, Dr. P. K. Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister highlighted the need to focus on critical infrastructure since much of the disaster related loss is due to damage to critical infrastructure. He said that the damage to physical and social infrastructure disrupts economic and social activities, which leads to hardship and distress, particularly for the poor and handicapped and adversely affects livelihood of large number of people.

Dr. P. K. Mishra also spoke about the Issues and challenges in DRR of critical infrastructure, such as lack of awareness, wrong perception of high cost and less urgency, lack of skill and knowledge in Risk Assessments methods, Governance and institutional structure to follow disaster resilient norms in development of infrastructure; measures to ensure risk resilient infrastructure by mainstreaming DRR and better understanding of risk, risk metrics, indicators of sustainability.

He highlighted India’s role in International cooperation such as Recent Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR in New Delhi and spoke in detail on Indian Initiative of forming a coalition on risk resilient infrastructure. He said that the proposed “coalition” will address the most pressing needs in infrastructure development and help us create a knowledge base that will benefit all countries. It will focus on four thematic areas - understanding of risk in infrastructure sectors; better standards of design, operations and maintenance, enforcement, regulation; financing of disaster resilient infrastructure and mechanisms to support recovery in infrastructure sectors, he added.

20-May-2017: Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) to be held at Cancun, Mexico

A high level Indian delegation headed by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju is leaving today for participating in the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) to be held at Cancun, Mexico from May 22-26, 2017. More than 5,000 delegates, including Heads of State, Ministers, CEOs, disaster experts, volunteers, representatives from science and technology sectors and academia are expected to gather in Cancun.

GPDRR is a global forum for strategic advice, coordination, partnership development and review of progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030 which was adopted at the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in March, 2015 in Sendai, Japan. This will mark the first opportunity since 2015 that global leaders and stakeholders in disaster risk reduction will meet for the international community to review global progress in the implementation of SFDRR. It will also provide a platform for all stakeholders to galvanize their efforts in sustainable development and climate change adaptation, sharing of experiences, discussing innovative solutions, and charting out the course for an integrated approach at the international, regional, national and local levels.

Apart from presenting the Country Statement on May 24, 2017, Shri Kiren Rijiju, the UN Designated Disaster Risk Reduction Champion for Asia Region, will also co-chair the Plenary Session on "National and Local Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies: Pave the way for Action by All" on May 25, 2017. He will also participate in Leaders Forum, besides leading various bilateral meetings. He will also release the NDMA guidelines on protection of museums.

During various sessions the Indian delegation will highlight initiatives taken by the Government of India in disaster risk reduction including the outcomes of the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR), held at New Delhi in November, 2016 and National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) held at New Delhi in May 2017.

Other members of the delegation are Dr. V. Thiruppugazh, Joint Secretary, NDMA, Shri Sanjeev Jindal, Joint Secretary, MHA and Prof. Santosh Kumar, Executive Director, National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM).