Lucknow, Jul 16 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have joined hands to implement disaster risk reduction programmes in the state, strengthening its institutional capacity and developing a multi-level disaster management system.
A Memorandum of Association (MoA) was signed on Wednesday between the Relief Commissioner’s Office of Uttar Pradesh and the UNDP in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and UNDP India Head and Resident Representative Angela Lusigi here, according to an official statement issued.
Lusigi, in a meeting with the chief minister, appreciated the state government’s commitment to disaster management and assured that UNDP will provide all possible technical support to the state.
The purpose of this agreement is to implement a wide range of disaster risk reduction programmes at different levels in the state, making the disaster management system more inclusive, accountable, and effective, the statement said.
Various initiatives like the development of disaster management plans at the district and departmental levels, risk assessment, strengthening of information systems, training, resource capacity building, and establishment of early warning systems will be developed, it said.
This partnership will help Uttar Pradesh align with the global disaster risk reduction standards while ensuring that actions are tailored to local needs and priorities, it said.
Key highlights of the agreement include the development of district disaster management plans for all 75 districts of the state and departmental disaster management plans for 15 key state departments.
Besides, detailed project reports will be prepared for 10 state departments, and risk and vulnerability assessments will be conducted in 20 major cities, keeping potential disasters in mind.
Urban disaster management plans will also be developed for these cities, it said.
For the implementation of this programme, the Uttar Pradesh government has approved a total budget of Rs 19.99 crore over the next three years.
The funds will be spent in a phased manner, and implementation will follow the technical proposals submitted by UNDP.
The state government is advancing this programme in line with the recommendations of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which has authorised UNDP to provide technical assistance in this field.
In the statement, Adityanath said that disaster management is a crucial administrative priority in today’s times.
“Only by coordinating technical efficiency, training and pre-preparation, we can reduce the impact of disaster,” he said.
The chief minister expressed confidence that the partnership with UNDP will help build world-class disaster management capabilities in Uttar Pradesh and enable the government and administration to make scientific and informed decisions.
He said this initiative will provide a new direction to the state’s disaster risk reduction efforts, making it easier to develop integrated strategies to protect lives, property, and infrastructure.
“With these efforts, Uttar Pradesh is poised to become one of the leading states in disaster management,” he added. PTI ABN RHL
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