New Delhi [India]: Aiming to provide immediate help during a disaster like situation across the country, the Centre on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that it is focussing on community participation and that a total of 6,000 volunteers under the 'Aapda Mitra' scheme are being trained in 30 flood-prone districts of 25 states and Union Territories (UT).
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lower House in a written reply, stating that National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has implemented the 'Aapda Mitra' scheme on a pilot basis to train the 6,000 community volunteers in disaster response with a focus on flood so that they can respond to the community's immediate needs in the aftermath of a disaster". The Minister said that 200 volunteers are being trained in each district and that more than 5,500 volunteers have been trained under the pilot scheme.
