Union Home Minister Amit Shah Praises NDRF Role in Building Zero Casualty Disaster Management System in India

Ghaziabad May 14 2026: Amit Shah attended the President’s Colour Award Ceremony of the National Disaster Response Force in Ghaziabad as the chief guest, where he lauded the force for its two decades of dedicated service and expanding role in disaster management across India and abroad.

Addressing the gathering, Shah said that the honour of the President’s Colour represents recognition not only of NDRF’s achievements but also of the collective contribution of state disaster forces, civil defence units, and volunteers working across the country. He praised NDRF personnel for earning public trust through large scale rescue operations, noting that the force has saved over 1.5 lakh lives and evacuated more than 9 lakh people in various disaster situations.

He emphasized that India is steadily moving from a reactive disaster response model to a preventive and structured approach aimed at achieving zero casualty outcomes. He highlighted that under the current framework, early warning systems, preparedness drills, and coordinated response mechanisms have significantly strengthened national capacity to deal with natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes, and heatwaves.

Shah also pointed out that disaster management in India has evolved into a comprehensive ecosystem supported by policy reforms, training initiatives, and community participation. He said that India’s approach, guided by the vision of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” has positioned the country as a global leader and first responder in emergency situations, with international collaborations further strengthening disaster resilience efforts.

He further underlined that the government is actively working to reduce heatwave related fatalities to zero while also expanding capacity building among disaster response personnel and volunteers. The Home Minister also acknowledged the environmental contribution of Central Armed Police Forces, noting large scale tree plantation efforts as part of broader climate action initiatives.