NDRF won't get its own air wing: Centre

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is not going to have its own dedicated aviation wing. The Ministry of Home Affairs shot down the NDRF proposal to set up a dedicated air wing for itself.

The NDRF is increasingly involved in disaster rescue and relief operations alongside Indian Army and had planned to set up its own air wing. They had sent a detailed proposal to the ministry last year for the same. The MHA did not find it feasible and said that the Air Force and the Indian Army are already at "disposal" for emergencies and there is no urgency to set up an NDRF air wing hence.

According to the NDRF, to help them respond to calamities more effectively, it is important that they dont have to rely on the Indian Air Force for rescue operations. A dedicated NDRF air wing would also reduce the response time, they said.

A senior NDRF officer said, "The proposal was dropped by the ministry. We are now first focusing on raising four more battalions." At present, the force consist of 12 battalions, three each from the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force and two each from Central Industrial Security Force, Indo Tibetan Border Police, and Sashastra Seema Bal.

Each battalion has 18 self-contained specialist search and rescue teams of 45 personnel each, including engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads, and medicos and paramedics. The total strength of each battalion is 1,149.