India will play leading role in future global political framework in terms of economy, disaster risk management: Nityanand Rai

India will play a leading role in the future global political framework in terms of economy and Disaster Risk Management, Minister of State for the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai has said.

Rai made the remark while presiding over the Valedictory Programme of the International Science and Technology Conference orgzed by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) on Thursday through video conferencing.

Rai expressed faith in the Science and Technology talent in our country and said that the motive of the same should be to reach to the last mile connectivity and every needy person in our motherland.

"The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai has said that India will play a leading role in the future global political framework in terms of economy and Disaster Risk Management," the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.

Lauding the efforts of NIDM and DST for bringing best minds together at one platform to think together, speak together and arrive at solutions of various looming and burning questions pertaining to disaster resiliency of our country and to foster science and technology applications towards the vision of the Prime Minister, Rai said that the outcomes and recommendations of the 3-day conference should be given the shape of reality in times to come.

Convenor of the Conference, Professor l K Gupta, Head of Department, ECDRM Division, NIDM presented a summary of the conference and enumerated the key takeaways. Executive Director NIDM, Major General Manoj Kumar Bindal highlighted the relevance of this event in the emerging contexts of disasters, climate and development.

Dr Jigmet Takpa, Joint Secretary (MoEF&CC) emphasized upon the need for synergy and collaboration between government and non-government agencies working for Climate Change Adaptation and DRR in the country. Sanjeev Jindal, JS (DM) also expressed solidarity and determination of the Disaster Management Institutional Mechsm prevalent in the country and its diverse roles at times of crisis.

The inaugural session of the conference on August 25, 2020, was addressed by the Minister for S&T and Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan. The international programme was orgzed under the Climate Adaptive Planning Project supported by the Department of Science and Technology.

Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Former Secretary UGC, and Advisor, DST, GOI, as the chair of the orgzing committee highlighted the need of institutional strengthening and research focused science application and integration to policy process for integrating disaster resilience and to cope with challenges of climate change in the country.

The programme was attended by experts, government officers, S&T luminaries, policy planners, implementers and practitioners from across India and also from more than 10 countries.

( With inputs from ANI )