Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the Union government has approved a 40 percent hardship and risk allowance for National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescuers.
This decision acknowledges the challenging operations these personnel undertake. The announcement was made while Shah welcomed a 35-member expedition team from the NDRF, who recently scaled the 21,625-foot-high Mt. Manirang in Himachal Pradesh.
“The government has approved a 40 per cent risk and hardship allowance for NDRF personnel only yesterday. This has been a long pending demand… All the 16,000 personnel of the force will benefit from this,” Shah said after welcoming the expedition named ‘Vijay’.
Officials noted that this 40 percent hardship and risk allowance for NDRF rescuers would be provided in addition to their regular salaries. Special forces such as the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) receive a 25 percent hardship allowance due to the unique nature of their duties.
This marks the second mountaineering expedition by the NDRF. The 35-member team, flagged off on June 1, successfully scaled Mt. Manirang, which is situated along the border of Kinnaur and Spiti districts in Himachal Pradesh.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the government aims to make sports a “culture” within the various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and special organizations like the NDRF.
Amit Shah
To this end, it has been decided that at least one team from these forces will be required to participate in international and national tournaments.
“A committee under the chairmanship of the director of the Intelligence Bureau has been constituted and a roadmap has been prepared. We will soon present a new model,” the minister said.
Shah also underlined that forces like the NDRF should ensure that the policy of “zero casualty” during disasters is followed and no lives are lost during calamities.
“We have come a long way… The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working on the concept of zero casualties during disasters for the last 10 years,” he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the government has significantly increased funding for the capacity building and training of the NDRF and state disaster response forces, allocating Rs 2 lakh crore during 2014-24, compared to Rs 66,000 crore during 2004-14.
He praised the NDRF team for their successful expedition, highlighting that such exercises enhance the force’s capabilities and morale, improving their performance during disasters and accident operations. Shah also advised the rescuers to continually strive for improvement and not rest on their laurels.
The NDRF, established in 2006 as a federal contingency and disaster response force, currently comprises over 18,000 rescuers in 16 battalions and 28 Regional Response Centers (RRCs).
The force is tasked with mitigating and combating various man-made and natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods, and train accidents.
