NEW DELHI: The Centre has launched a scheme for “expansion of modernisation of fire services in the states” for which ₹5,000 crore has been earmarked, the Union home ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
An amount of ₹500 crore out of total outlay has been kept for incentivizing states on the basis of their legal and infrastructure-based reforms, the statement said. A letter in this regard has been sent to the chief secretaries and heads of fire services of all states.
“MHA has launched a scheme for expansion and modernization of fire services in the states from the earmarked allocation of preparedness and capacity building funding window under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for strengthening fire services in the states with a total outlay of ₹5,000 crore,” the ministry said.
Union home minister Amit Shah announced the scheme at a meeting with state ministers of disaster management in New Delhi on June 13.
“Several key initiatives are being taken to ensure ‘zero death’ and minimum loss of property during disasters by strengthening disaster risk reduction system in India to make it disaster resilient. The objective of the scheme is to expand and modernize fire services in the states with a view that activities for strengthening fire services at the state-level through preparedness and capacity-building component of the NDRF will be ensured,” the statement said.
{{/usCountry}}“Several key initiatives are being taken to ensure ‘zero death’ and minimum loss of property during disasters by strengthening disaster risk reduction system in India to make it disaster resilient. The objective of the scheme is to expand and modernize fire services in the states with a view that activities for strengthening fire services at the state-level through preparedness and capacity-building component of the NDRF will be ensured,” the statement said.
{{/usCountry}}The state government concerned will have to contribute 25% of the total project cost - the north-eastern and Himalayan states shall contribute only 10% - from their budgetary resources, the ministry added.
The home ministry said the outlay of ₹5,000 crore was earmarked for priority expansion and modernisation of fire services from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) corpus.
“There shall be no spill-over for the liabilities committed for the projects sanctioned against earmarked allocation beyond the award period,” the MHA said.