Patna: The Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) held a high-level joint meeting on Friday to strengthen disaster preparedness, response, and technological integration in the state.
The meeting, chaired by BSDMA vice-chairman Uday Kant, brought together key state and central officials including members P.N. Rai, Narendra Kumar Singh, Prakash Kumar, and secretary Mohammad Waris Khan. The NDMA delegation comprised Lieutenant Colonel Sanjeev Kumar Shahi, Vivek Jaiswal, and Anuj Tiwari, who commended Bihar’s innovative disaster management measures and on-ground execution.
Discussions focused on improving coordination between the state and the Centre, pre-disaster readiness, rapid response systems, and enhancing technical capabilities. Officials highlighted significant BSDMA achievements, including:
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Permanent deployment of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) across all districts with local training facilities, significantly improving emergency response.
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Establishment of a state-of-the-art State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) for swift decision-making and coordination during crises.
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Successful mock drills at high-risk sites such as Gaya Airport to test preparedness.
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Community-driven initiatives like ‘Safe Saturday’, the ‘Safe Swimming Programme’, boat ambulances, and drone-based rescue operations.
Bihar’s approach was praised for its integration of technology in disaster risk reduction, using multi-hazard assessments, data mining, artificial intelligence, and blockchain applications — positioning the state as a model for others.
The meeting also emphasised the need for regular updates to the District Disaster Management Plan (DDMP) and stronger data-sharing mechanisms with the Central Water Commission and the Indian Meteorological Department for early flood warnings, particularly for water flows from Nepal.
Officials agreed to integrate the BSDRN and IDRN mobile apps and reinforce coordination with agencies including the Railways, Air Force, Army, NDRF, SDRF, Civil Defence, and Nehru Yuva Kendra. The strategy aims to push disaster preparedness to the block and village levels, ensuring a practical, scientific, and participatory approach to risk management in Bihar.
