New Delhi, Jun 29: The Union government has approved a 40% hardship and risk allowance for NDRF rescuers, recognizing the challenging operations they undertake, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Saturday. He made this announcement while welcoming a 35-member expedition team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that recently scaled the 21,625-foot-high Mt Manirang in Himachal Pradesh.
“The government has approved a 40% risk and hardship allowance for NDRF personnel only yesterday. This has been a long-pending demand. All 16,000 personnel of the force will benefit from this,” Shah said after welcoming the expedition, named ‘Vijay’. Officials stated that this allowance will be provided in addition to their salaries. Special forces like the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) receive a 25% hardship allowance due to the special nature of their duties.
This is the second mountaineering expedition undertaken by the federal contingency force, which was flagged off on June 1. Mt Manirang is located along the border of Kinnaur and Spiti districts in Himachal Pradesh.
Shah also announced that the government plans to make sports a “culture” within the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and special organizations like the NDRF. He mentioned that at least one team from these forces will be required to participate in international and national tournaments. A committee chaired by the director of the Intelligence Bureau has been established, and a roadmap has been prepared. “We will soon present a new model,” Shah said.
He emphasized that forces like the NDRF should aim for “zero casualty” during disasters, ensuring no lives are lost. “We have come a long way. The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working on the concept of zero casualties during disasters for the last 10 years,” he said.
Shah highlighted that his government has significantly increased funding for the capacity building and training of the NDRF and state disaster response forces, allocating Rs 2 lakh crore from 2014-24 compared to Rs 66,000 crore from 2004-14.
He praised the NDRF team for their successful expedition, stating that such exercises will enhance the force’s capabilities and morale, enabling them to perform better during disaster and accident operations. However, he urged the rescuers to continue improving and not rest on their laurels.
The NDRF, established in 2006 as a federal contingency and disaster response force, currently has over 18,000 rescuers deployed across the country as part of 16 battalions and 28 Regional Response Centres (RRCs). The force undertakes operations to mitigate and combat man-made and natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and train accidents.
