Gandhinagar, 11 October 2013

The governing body of Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM) that met today under the chairmanship of Gujarat chief minister Mr. Narendra Modi has decided to develop the GIDM into a global centre of excellence. GIDM will have excessive focus on the HRD training and research aspects of the disaster management and prevention. A complete roadmap for transforming GIDM in a global centre of excellence was laid out during in first meeting.

GIDM, which came into existence after the earthquake of 2001, was tasked with the rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in the earthquake affected areas of the State and simultaneously to act as a nodal agency to plan and implement pre-disaster preparedness and mitigation activities including training and capacity building of all the stakeholders involved in disaster management. GIDM governing body has taken a decision to develop GIDM into a state of the art centre of excellence.

GIDM, which is functioning from newly built state of the art building near Raysan village since August 2012, at the institute level focuses on the aspects like disaster prevention, mitigation, relief, recovery, risk reduction, rehabilitation and reconstruction and research training. The governing board has decided to take the institute’s capacity to national level and empower it by widening its horizons.

While addressing the meet, Chief Minister Mr. Modi appealed the institute to expand its capacity building activities and associate it with all such institutes handling the disaster management and preventions either in the government and non-government sector.

Mr. Modi said, “GIDM can take up more proactive role widening the scope for capacity building and training activities by roping in the NGOs, local government bodies like Panchayats and municipal boards.”

Also Mr. Modi said that municipal authorities need to hold public demonstration and mock drills more often with all the latest disaster management equipment, rescue & relief activities and training for the school safety, road safety and fire fighting incidents mainly when it comes any manmade emergencies.

GIDM Director General Dr. P. K. Mishra said till now the disaster management courses were run by state run SPIPA but it has now been decided to rope in institute of national and international repute and seek their assistance for developing an ambitious capacity.

The meeting was attended by chief secretary Dr. Varesh Sinha, secretaries and the top officials of different departments associated with disaster management in the state.