India a global leader: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday highlighted India’s global leadership in disaster management, attributing the country’s success to its resilient infrastructure and the adoption of a ‘zero casualty’ approach during disasters.
Addressing a gathering on the 20th Foundation Day celebrations of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at Kondapavuluru in Krishna district, Shah also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s support for Andhra Pradesh. He announced that the Centre had approved projects worth over Rs 3 lakh crore for the state in just six months.
The event marked the inauguration of the National Institute of Disaster Management’s (NIDM) southern campus and the NDRF’s 10th Battalion campus near Vijayawada. Shah also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for various development projects worth approximately Rs 220 crore. “I can confidently say that NDRF’s implementation of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) policies has been instrumental in positioning India as a global leader in disaster management,” Shah remarked.  
He also highlighted India’s leadership in disaster-resilient infrastructure through the establishment of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), which has now become a platform for 48 countries.
Shah outlined the shift in disaster management strategy, noting that under the Modi government, the approach has moved from being relief-centric to rescue-centric, aimed at saving lives. He emphasised that the “zero casualty” goal is now a key objective, with NDRF, NDMA, and NIDM working in close coordination to achieve it.
The Minister recalled the devastating cyclone in Odisha, where 10,000 lives were lost, and noted that in the last two years, two cyclones had struck India but the “zero casualty” goal was successfully achieved. Shah praised the NDRF’s efforts, which have been recognised internationally in countries such as Nepal, Indonesia, Turkey, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
The Modi government has allocated Rs 61,000 crore for disaster management under the 14th Finance Commission, compared to just Rs 12,500 crore under the 12th Finance Commission, Shah said. He also pointed out that the Centre has provided Rs 27,000 crore for the development of Amaravati through HUDCO and the World Bank.
Shah assured the people of Andhra Pradesh that the Centre would continue to provide unwavering support for the state’s development. “The Narendra Modi government stands firmly with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for the development of Andhra Pradesh,” he stated, urging the people not to focus on the “wasted” five years under the previous YSRCP government.
The Home Minister also expressed confidence that after the NDA’s successes in the 2024 Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, the coalition would form the government in Delhi in early 2025.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu appealed to Shah for continued Centre support until the state fully recovers, expressing gratitude for the Centre’s revival package for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and funding for the Polavaram Irrigation and Amaravati Capital projects.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Ministers K. Ram Mohan Naidu and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and other dignitaries were also present at the event.
Additionally, Shah virtually laid the foundation stone for a new ‘Integrated Indoor Shooting Range’ at the National Police Academy (NPA) in Hyderabad, where IPS probationary officers will be trained in firing skills.