Overview
- At a ceremony in Ghaziabad on Thursday, Home Minister Amit Shah presented the President’s Colour to the National Disaster Response Force and said the Home Ministry has a plan to aim for zero deaths from heat waves in the coming years.
- The President’s Colour is a top ceremonial honor for uniformed forces that the government said recognizes the NDRF’s service and public trust.
- The NDRF now fields 16 battalions with about 18,000 personnel, and its director general said the force has carried out more than 12,000 operations since 2006.
- Officials credited NDRF teams with saving over 150,000 lives and moving more than 900,000 people to safety, noting rescues extend to animals during floods, quakes, and cyclones.
- Shah said India is shifting from reactive relief to preparedness in the face of climate risks, though he did not outline the specific steps or timeline for the heatwave plan.