Disaster Management Department on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) announced that it will set up “District Emergency Response Facility-cum-Training Centre” in 20 districts of Bihar to enhance disaster preparedness, relief operations and training in the second phase.
At present State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed in 17 districts while the work is currently underway in Patna district.
With a view to carrying out better response and relief work in the event of disaster, the department has planned to set up a District Emergency Response Facility-cum-Training Centre in 38 districts in a phased manner, said Department’s Joint Secretary Nadeemul Ghaffar Siddiqui.
He added that the Centre, which will have its own building, will also have a response facility-cum-training centre in districts which will provide specialized infrastructure for quick response, coordination, and training for local communities to handle disaster situations besides enhancing capacity building.
Mr. Siddiqui who was accompanied by the Department’s OSD Sandeep Kumar, said this while addressing a press conference at Samvad in Soochna Bhawan in Patna.
In the first phase, 18 districts were selected for construction of Centre’s headquarters’ buildings, Mr. Siddiqui said. He added that 17 centres were operational while the work is currently underway in Patna district. Mr. Siddiqui added that construction work in 20 districts is being carried out keeping in mind the availability of land in different districts in second phase.
The State government has hiked the amount from ₹6000 to ₹7000, Mr. Siddiqui said and added that a total of 9,71,678 families of flood affected districts of the state were given gratuitous relief in the current financial year 2025-26. A total of ₹680.17 crore was given to flood affected families as gratuitous relief, he added.
Out of the total 100 “Barh Ashray Asthal” (Flood Shelter) which is being built to further strengthen disaster management in 10 flood prone districts of the State, a total of 96 such flood shelters have been completed, Mr. Siddiqui said.
“The 10 flood prone districts where “Barh Ashray Asthal” (Flood Shelter) are being constructed include — Katihar, Sitmarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Purnea, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Sheohar, Araria and Madhubani. The purpose of construction of flood shelter is to provide flooded affected populations a safe shelter, basic facilities and quick relief to them,” Mr. Siddiqui said.
He also informed that a new and modern SDRF headquarters’ building was inaugurated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on September 19, 2025 and the infrastructure was built at a cost of over ₹312.30 crore.
The facility includes a 4-storey administrative building, training centres, and residential complexes to boost disaster response capabilities and reduce reliance on outside training institutions.
Published – January 29, 2026 09:12 am IST
