India says, it is developing mitigation programmes to reduce risk of losses from all hazards
New Delhi, May 19
India told the UN General Assembly that it is developing ambitious mitigation programmes to reduce the risk of losses from all hazards, including landslides, floods, earthquakes, heat waves and lightning.
Principal Secretary to Prime Minister PK Mishra said that India accord high importance to disaster risk reduction issues as it is a central public policy issue. He said that India has also significantly increased the funding earmarked for disaster risk reduction.
Mr Misha made said this while speaking at the Risk Reduction Hub Event at the United Nations headquarters during the High-level meeting of the midterm review of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030 that is taking place at the United Nations Headquarters.
He added that India has brought about landmark changes in our financing architecture to support the entire spectrum of disaster risk management needs for disaster risk mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction.
Mr Mishra said even state and local governments have access to about 6 billion dollar for disaster risk mitigation over the five years (2021-2025). He added that this is in addition to resource of 23 billion dollar meant for preparedness, response and recovery. Mr Mishra also informed that in just over a decade, India have been able to reduce the loss of lives from cyclones to less than 2 percent.
Highligting the importance of early warning system, he said that India is working assiduously to improve access to early warning. Under India’s presidency, G20 members have agreed to establish a Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction.
The five priorities identified by the G20 Working Group – early warning for all, resilient infrastructure, improved financing of DRR, systems and capacities for response and ‘build back better’, and eco-system based approaches to DRR – will provide added impetus to the achievement of Sendai targets globally.
The Meeting was organised India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to discuss the Roles of States for Promoting Investments in Disaster Risk Reduction towards Resilient and Sustainable Future. Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and officers of Indian delegation also participated in the event.