Bhubaneswar: Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) will receive the prestigious Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2023 for its contribution to disaster management across the country.
According to a statement released by the Union government on Monday, the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority and Lunglei Fire Station (LFS), Mizoram, will share the annual award in the institutional category.
The Union government instituted the annual award to recognise and honour the contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organisations in India in the field of disaster management.
The award is announced every year on January 23 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh and a certificate in case of an institution and Rs 5 lakh and a certificate in case of an individual, the release said.
During recent years, the country has significantly improved its disaster management practices, preparedness, and mitigation and response mechanisms resulting in a significant reduction in casualties during natural calamities.
For the award of the year 2023, nominations were solicited from July 1, 2022, onwards. The award scheme for the year 2023 was given wide publicity through print, electronic and social media.
In response to the award scheme, 274 valid nominations were received from institutions and individuals this year.
It may be noted here that OSDMA, established in 1999 in the aftermath of the Super Cyclone, has several achievements and has embarked on multiple initiatives such as the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), Multi-hazard Early Warning Service (MHEWS) framework, and a cutting-edge technology-enabled web/smartphone-based platform called “SATARK” (System for Assessing, Tracking, and Alerting Disaster Risk Information based on Dynamic Risk Knowledge).
OSDMA provided effective response during various cyclones, Hudhud (2014), Fani (2019), Amphan (2020) and Odisha floods (2020). OSDMA conducted disaster preparedness initiatives in building community resilience in 381 tsunami-prone villages/wards and 879 multi-purpose cyclone/ flood shelters located within 1.5 km from the coastline.
