New Delhi, February 21 The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with three research institutes on Saturday to strengthen disaster management policy research in the country, officials said.
The partnership aims to establish a collaborative framework for academic programs, capacity building, policy research, and communication in disaster management and risk reduction, they said.
The MoU was signed by the NDMA, the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), and the CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), according to a statement.
Dinesh Kumar Aswal, a member of the NDMA, said, "This MoU is a significant step towards fostering a strong bridge between scientists and policy professionals to address the complex and evolving challenges associated with disasters."
As part of the collaboration, while the NDMA, the apex body for disaster management policies, will provide strategic direction and domain expertise, AcSIR, a research university, will help with academic programs and research initiatives.
Manoj Kumar Dhar, director of AcSIR, said, "This MoU opens new avenues for students and researchers to develop innovative, research-based solutions to disaster management challenges. It will help nurture a new generation of experts dedicated to strengthening India's disaster resilience framework towards Viksit Bharat 2047."
CSIR-NIScPR will host academic programs and drive policy research, and public engagement on disaster management policy research.
The coming together of NDMA, AcSIR, and CSIR-NIScPR "represents a significant step towards embedding scientific research, science communication, and evidence-based policymaking into India's disaster management ecosystem," an official said.