New Delhi, March 7: The focus of a seminar organized by the Union Home Ministry's Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR-ER) on integration with state agencies was on preparedness for the 2026 monsoon and technological advancements in disaster management, an official said on Saturday.
The third seminar on Integration with State Emergency Operation Centres (SEOCs), held under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is one of the government's efforts to achieve the goal of "zero casualties" during disasters, the official said in a statement.
The focus of the seminar was to achieve synergy among State Emergency Operation Centres (SEOCs) of all states and UTs, and other agencies working tirelessly to mitigate disasters, it said.
During the seminar, emphasis was placed on using technology to reduce the time it takes to disseminate vital information related to disasters, it said.
Prominent scientists and domain experts from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), IMD, NCS, and CWC provided valuable input on various disaster-related subjects and early warning systems.
A hands-on training on the National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM 5.0) was also organized at ICR-ER, the statement said.
The interactive sessions on NDEM 5.0 emphasized measures for anticipating disasters, risk mitigation, resource utilization, and smooth flow of information between the Centre and States, the statement said.
The seminar provided an opportunity for participants from all the states and UTs to learn about technological advancements in the field of disaster management.
A session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) was also conducted during the event. AI is expected to bring a paradigm shift in the existing approach and provide a much-needed boost to all agencies involved in disaster mitigation and response, the statement said.
The seminar also discussed preparedness for the 2026 monsoon and provided a platform for various Central Agencies and representatives from State/UTs to bridge the gap and shift from a relief-centric approach to a proactive, prevention-focused strategy for dealing with disasters, the official statement concluded.