New Delhi: To strengthen preparedness and capacity building in the field of disaster management, the union cabinet on Thursday approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkmenistan on Cooperation in the field.
The Union cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The MoU seeks to put in place a system whereby both India and Turkmenistan will benefit from the disaster management mechanisms of each other and it will help in strengthening the areas of preparedness, response and capacity building in the field of disaster management.
At present, India has signed the bilateral, multilateral agreement, MoU, joint declaration of intent or Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of disaster management with Switzerland, Russian, SAARC, Germany, Japan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Bangladesh and Italy.
The MoU envisages cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis in the following areas like monitoring and forecasting emergencies and assessment of their consequences; interaction, through Competent Authorities, between appropriate organisations involved in disaster management.
Other areas of cooperation are joint planning, development and implementation of research projects, exchange of scientific and technical publications and results of research works in the field of disaster management; exchange of information, periodicals or any other publications, video and photo materials, as well as technologies, as mutually agreed within the scope of this MoU.
Organisation of joint conferences, seminars, workshops as well as exercises and trainings in the relevant fields, exchange of experts and experiences in disaster management; training and capacity building of first responders in search and rescue operations; exchange of trainees and experts to facilitate capacity building in the field of disaster management are also area of cooperation under the MoU.
The MoU will also cooperate in rendering assistance, as mutually agreed, for providing technical facilities and equipment, enhancing early warning systems and capacity building of the parties in disaster management; providing assistance, as mutually agreed, in emergency response; mutual assistance sharing of knowledge and expertise for creation of disaster resilient infrastructure.
(IANS)
