NDRF has 16 battalions; 12 operational, 4 in training: MHA in RS

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has 16 battalions at present, of which 12 are operational and deployed as per the vulnerability profile of the country to provide immediate response during disasters, said Minister of State Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question regarding details of battalions of NDRF working at present, the Minister said "At present, NDRF has 16 Battalions (Bns). Out of these, 12 NDRF ens are operational and deployed as per the vulnerability profile of the country to provide immediate response during disasters. The personnel of four new Bns are undergoing training before their deployment."

Further giving details about operational battalions, the Minister informed NDRF battalions are currently posted in--Guwahati (Assam); Haringhata, (West Bengal); Mundali, (Odisha); Arakkonam, (Tamil Nadu); Pune, (Maharashtra); Vadodara, (Gujarat); Bhatinda, (Punjab); Ghaziabad, (Uttar Pradesh); Bihta, (Bihar); Vijaywada, (Andhra Pradesh); Varanasi, (Uttar Pradesh); and Doimukh, (Arunachal Pradesh).

July 22,reported that four new battalions of NDRF will be fully functional in a year with their bases in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Union Cabinet in August 2018 had allowed the raising of four new battalions of the NDRF--Indian specialized force constituted for the purpose of a special response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order in October 2018 for the sanctioning of four new Battalions in the NDRF that include two from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP), one from Assam Rifles and one from Border Security Force (BSF).

One battalion for ITBP is being raised for Himachal Pradesh and the other for Uttarakhand while Assam Rifles's and BSF's Battalions are sanctioned for their bases in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, and National Capital Region respectively.

( With inputs from ANI )