Home Ministry asks for experts to fill up posts at NDMA

NEW DELHI: Five months after all members of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) were made to resign by the BJP government leaving the organisation headless, the Union Home Ministry has finally invited applications to fill up the nine vacant posts of NDMA members and its vice-chairperson.
The Home Ministry on November 12 has invited applications from persons with a "substantive background or experience in disaster management (man-made and natural)" with a deadline of only a week till November 19 for the applications to be made. By inviting applications for nine posts and stipulating a strict criteria, the earlier speculation of NDMA being downsized stand scotched though government is expected to fill the posts with technocrats and experts in the field.

"The applications should have expertise inclusive of aspects involving administrative/superintendence/management experience of disaster situations and mitigation efforts, contribution towards policy and plan formulation for disaster management, response and mitigation; academic achievements and contributions in developing response and mitigation for various types of disasters like floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, droughts and chemical/radiological/nuclear/biological emergencies," the Ministry specified.

It has also been mentioned that the applicant should have contribution in the field of medical preparedness or capacity building for disaster situations and mitigation initiatives. The Government had earlier downgraded the NDMA posts from the level of Minister of State to Secretary level. The post of Vice-Chairperson, NDMA has also been downgraded from a Cabinet Minister to level of Cabinet Secretary. The NDMA has been headless during the J&K Floods and the HudHud cyclone challenges. The Home Ministry plans to fill up all NDMA posts in December, a Ministry official said.