NDRF Full Form

NDRF full form is the National Disaster Response Force. The NDRF team consists of few members as per the regions they are posted in which they undertake the crucial task of safeguarding the area during natural calamities and disasters. The calamities such as earthquake, tsunami, flood, cloudburst are recurring in nature and require an active NDRF team to be present to the affected area as soon as possible.

What is the Full Form of NDRF?

The full form of NDRF is National Disaster Response Force. It is a specialized force set up to undertake a rapid and specialized response to natural or man-made calamities such as earthquake, flood, landslide etc. The NDRF was established under section 44 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Till date, the NDRF consists of 12 battalions in which 12 out of 16 are operational at the moment and each of the battalion consists of 1149 personnel. These task forces are present in various states of India. In response to the unforeseen circumstances, the NDRF staff are well-trained and prepared to face adversity. The Chairperson of the NDMA, popularly known as National Disaster Management Authority is the Indian Prime Minister. Whereas, the Director-General of the NDRF is an IPS officer on a deputation basis. Each battalion is eligible to provide rescue teams, which consist of people from different professions such as engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads and medical / paramedics, with 45 staff and 18 self-contained professionals. The NDRF Battalions posted in different states of India are listed below:

• Assam
• Odisha
• West Bengal
• Gujarat
• Maharashtra
• Tamil Nadu
• Uttar Pradesh (2 Battalions)
• Punjab
• Bihar
• Andhra Pradesh
• Arunachal Pradesh

Members of NDRF

The NDRF team consists of various members which are responsible to undertake different tasks according to the expertise. The members of NDRF are as follows:

• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
• National Disaster Response Coordination Centre (NDRCC)
• National Executive Committee (NEC)
• State Emergency Operation Centres (SEOCs)
• District Emergency Operation Centres (DEOOCs)
• Control Rooms at National and State Capitals

Composition of NDRF

The National Disaster Response Force known as NDRF consists of 16 battalions which is organized along paramilitary lines and is staffed and organized by individuals on deputation from the paramilitary forces of India. The composition of the NDRF team consists of: three teams from the Border Security Force, three teams from the Central Reserve Police Force, two teams from the Central Industrial Security Force, two teams from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, two teams from the Sashastra Seema Bal and one team from the Assam Rifles. Each battalion has a maximum capacity of 1149 people. Each of the NDRF battalion is capable of supplying 18 independent search and rescue teams who are specialists in different aspects with a staff of 45 people which includes dog squads, engineers, medical/paramedics, technicians and electricians. These units receive proper training and experience to handle both natural and man-made disasters, including biological, chemical, nuclear and radiological emergencies arising anywhere.

Responsibilities and Roles of the NDRF

The Ministry of Home Affairs established the National Disaster Response Force called NDRF which is a special force of the Indian Armed Forces, to respond and take necessary actions and precautions in case of disasters. It is a multidisciplinary and multi-agency body which is made up of employees and people from all military branches in India as well as from the other governmental organizations. NDRF undertakes a prominent role in relief and rescue measures and efforts during natural catastrophes like landslides, earthquakes, cyclones and floods. Moreover, the NDRF offers humanitarian aid during domestic events like riots, terrorist attacks etc. to protect and safeguard the citizens. Till January 26th, 2006, the NDRF was established with 10 battalions. But, as of now, it has grown to 12 battalions and more than 65000 trained and expert personnel.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has the following roles and responsibilities:

• Delivering a prompt and efficient response to emergencies and disasters.
• Conducting rescue missions.
• Giving humanitarian aid in times of crisis.
• Taking action in collaboration with other authorities to provide relief and rehabilitation.

Objectives of NDRF

The following are the objectives of NDRF:

• To offer States/UTs with national-level assistance during a disaster
• To collaborate during catastrophes with other national and international agencies
• To conduct rescue and relief operations in an emergency
• To provide medical aid
• To offer the States/UTs during a disaster logistical help
• To carry out search and rescue efforts
• The National Disaster Response Force also works to increase the capabilities of State and UT forces.

Importance of NDRF

For the following reasons, NDRF is important:

• In order to support disaster response efforts in India, NDRF provides trained and organized staff.
• NDRF is in charge of conducting rescue and relief efforts in the event of both natural and man-made disasters.
• NDRF is a specialized force outfitted with cutting-edge technology to handle emergency crises.

Drawbacks of NDRF

The following are the demerits of NDRF:

• Due to its magnitude, NDRF is not always able to deploy help quickly. This can be a particular issue in rural areas because disasters there could happen suddenly.
• Its training programmes and equipment occasionally fall short of expectations. This was especially clear during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake reaction.
• Its members' limited knowledge of the regional dialects and traditions can make it difficult for them to help.
• Allegations of corruption within the force have been made.

The NDRF continues to be India's best hope for disaster response despite these shortcomings. It is intended that as time passes, these problems will be resolved and the force will be even more prepared to handle the difficulties it encounters.

National Disaster Response Fund

As per the constitutional provision, there are allocations of proper funds for the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force). The fund can be used in times of emergency and in any unforeseen circumstances. The National Disaster Response Fund, which is constituted under Section 46 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, also supplements the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) of a State, in case of any disaster which is of a severe nature. The funds allocated to the NDRF will only supplement the SDRF only when adequate funds are not available in the SDRF. Under the constitutional provision, there are two major characteristics of the National Disaster Response Fund:

• It is placed in the ‘Public Account’ section of the Government of India under which the reserve funds do not bear interest.
• Any expenditures from it are not required to be approved by the Parliament.

State Disaster Response Fund

The State Disaster Response Fund, known as SDRF, is constituted under Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. It is the primary fund available to State Governments for responses to any specified disasters. If there is any disaster or unforeseen circumstances in the ambit of the State Government, then the  State Disaster Response Fund will be used. A few characteristics and provisions for SDRF are mentioned below:

• The Central Government contributes 75% of SDRF allocation for general category States (states with no special status) /UTs and 90% for special category States/UTs which includes North Eastern States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, and Kashmir.
• The annual Central contribution is released and disbursed in two equal instainstalmentser the recommendation of the Finance Commission of India.
• SDRF shall be used only for meeting the extra expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims.