The industrial hub of Ludhiana today witnessed another red-letter day in its annals. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Revenue Minister, Punjab, S. Bikram Singh Majithia laid the foundation stone of the campus of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The ultra modern campus would come up at 51 acres of land provided by the Punjab Government. It would be completed at an outlay Rs. 200 crore by 2018.
In his address on the occasion, the Union Minister, Kiren Rijiju said, "That India is included amongst the frontline countries combating natural disasters in an effective way and NDRF is counted amongst one of the most disciplined and efficient forces around the globe."
"That the establishing of NDRF campus in Ludhiana would not only result in dealing with any natural disaster in state in timely fashion as Ludhiana falls in the center of Punjab but would also prove beneficial to Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. He also said that NDRF is an ideal force for combating both man-made and natural disasters and its personnel have proven their mettle many a times," said Kiren.
The Union Minister further elaborated that the NDA Government is seriously working on increasing the central assistance to compensate the farmers suffering from natural disasters. He invited S. Bikram Singh Majithia to hold consultations with the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi to prepare a detailed plan regarding this. The Union Minister also thanked the Chief Minister, S. Parkash Singh Badal and the Deputy Chief Minister, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal for rendering great co-operation concerning the project.
In his address, S. Bikram Singh Majithia said, "That the security apparatus of Punjab has been further strengthened with this campus to be established at Ladhowal in Ludhiana. He assured that the Punjab Government would render all assistance concerning the state of the art project. He also declared that the approaches to NDRF campus would be widened by the state government which would also specially train the more police personnel with the help of NDRF so as to form a separate force to combat natural disaster."
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Divulging more details, S. Majithia said, "That a comprehensive plan is being prepared by the Punjab Government to make people aware about reducing the losses from natural disasters. He batted for providing proper training to children and youth at school and Panchayat level for which a detailed plan is being worked out by the state government. He also divulged that NGOs, Private Institutions, Social Institutions, Red Cross Societies and Self Help Groups would be included in this awareness campaign."
On the occasion, NDRF personnel also presented a mock drill that exhibited the way they save precious human lives and minimize the losses at the time of natural disasters with the aid of modern technology.