Dehradun: A meeting of the State Executive Committee was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan. During the meeting, detailed reviews were conducted of proposals received under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF), along with the financial and physical progress of disaster management-related works.
No Duplication in Budget Usage
The Chief Secretary gave clear instructions that there should be no duplication in the expenditure of budgets provided directly to departments and those allocated to districts through District Magistrates under disaster management. He directed that a detailed report of the coordinated and effective implementation of budgets provided to departments and District Magistrates in the current financial year should be submitted by the concerned department heads and district officers.
Priority to Green Work Alongside Civil Structures
The Chief Secretary instructed that protective and mitigation works should not be limited to civil structures alone, but should mandatorily include plantation and greenery-supporting activities. This would help develop a natural security system over time and strengthen environmental balance.
Ensuring Durability of Protective Works
Information was sought from the Irrigation Department, Drinking Water Corporation, Public Works Department, Forest Department, and other implementing agencies regarding the durability of protective works. The Irrigation Department informed that the average durability of protection works carried out under disaster management is about 25 years. The Chief Secretary directed that all protective works should remain durable for the minimum prescribed period and should be executed with seriousness, transparency, and quality standards.
Review of Future Proposals
The meeting also reviewed the progress of protective works undertaken in the current year and considered proposals for future protective works.
Officials present included Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, Yugal Kishore Pant, S. A. Adanki, Additional Secretary Vineet Kumar, Navneet Pandey, along with officers from various departments. Emphasis was given to making disaster management works more effective, transparent, and long-term.
