E-Paper
Key sectors must be made disaster-resilient: PM Modi
Systems such as digital infrastructure, shipping lines and aviation networks cover the globe, and the effect of a disaster in one part of the world can quickly spread across countries, he said.
The global community must review the performance of key sectors such as health and digital infrastructure during the Covid-19 pandemic, and come up with ways to make them more resilient in future, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.
Inaugurating an international conference on disaster resilient infrastructure, Modi cited the example of a winter storm knocking out a third of electricity generating capacity in the US state of Texas last month, and said countries making large investments in infrastructure, such as India, must ensure such investments are not at risk.
Systems such as digital infrastructure, shipping lines and aviation networks cover the globe, and the effect of a disaster in one part of the world can quickly spread across countries, he said. Cooperation is a must for ensuring the resilience of the global system, he added.
“We must take stock of the performance of some of the key infrastructure sectors particularly health infrastructure and the digital infrastructure, that played a central role during the pandemic. What are the lessons from these sectors? And how can we make them more resilient for the future,” Modi said.
“When a bridge is lost, a telecom tower falls, power systems fail, or when a school is damaged, the loss is not just the direct damage. We should look at losses holistically....If we make our infrastructure resilient, we will reduce both direct and indirect losses and protect the livelihoods of millions,” Modi said at the conference that’s co-hosted by India and the United Kingdom.
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), which is co-chaired by India and the UK, must embody the central promise of the sustainable development goals, which means “leave no one behind” and put the concerns of most vulnerable nations and communities first, Modi said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who addressed the event virtually, said he and Modi have a shared vision for a sustainable future for the global community, and he was looking forward to discussing such issues during his upcoming visit to India in April.
“If our battle with Covid-19 has taught us anything over the past year, it is that we must be ready for whatever challenges may be coming next,” he said.
Vaccine Maitri has created goodwill for India: Jaishankar
The Vaccine Maitri initiative, which has so far supplied made-in-India Covid-19 vaccines to 72 countries, demonstrated the quality of the country’s products and generated great international goodwill, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.
“Our reputation as the ‘pharmacy of the world’ has been reinforced,” he said.
