Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government Tuesday decided to upgrade the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) with enhanced operational capabilities, infrastructure and manpower.
The decision in this regard was taken at a review meeting on Odisha’s disaster management system and infrastructure, chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari.
The minister emphasised the need to transform ODRAF into a professionally equipped and dedicated State Disaster Response Force capable of responding effectively to all types of natural disasters.
It was decided to strengthen disaster response across the state in a phased manner over a period of time. Similarly, steps will be taken to have a separate battalion and an officer in charge who will command the ODRAF Battalion.
While highly appreciating the ODRAF’s performance during the recent flood emergency, the minister appreciated the exemplary services rendered by the force under extremely challenging conditions. As of August 4, ODRAF had deployed 59 teams with 674 trained personnel across nine flood-affected districts, supported by 59 rescue boats. The force conducted nearly 58 hours of night-time operations, rescuing 1,393 people, including 852 men and 541 women.
The rescue teams also evacuated 19 pregnant women, shifted six snakebite victims to healthcare facilities in time, carried out 25 emergency medical evacuation operations, rescued 213 livestock and removed 18 fallen trees to restore road connectivity. Altogether, ODRAF has provided 490 hours of uninterrupted rescue and relief services in flood-affected areas, the minister stated.
Commending the courage, professionalism and dedication of the rescue personnel, the minister said their exemplary service has significantly strengthened Odisha’s disaster response capacity and reinforced public confidence in the state’s preparedness to face natural calamities. He stressed the need to further enhance ODRAF’s operational efficiency through systematic capacity building and institutional strengthening.
The Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 provides for the establishment of a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in every state, the minister said, adding that in accordance with the operational framework issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the governing body of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has recommended designating ODRAF as Odisha’s SDRF.
The minister directed officials to operationalise the decision at the earliest and develop ODRAF into a fully dedicated SDRF entrusted exclusively with disaster response and management responsibilities.
As part of the expansion plan, the SDRF Headquarters will be established in the proposed Disaster Management Building (Biparjyaya Parichalana Bhawan). The force will be strengthened with the addition of 10 new units, increasing its total strength from 20 to 30 units, which will be strategically stationed across the state to ensure faster emergency response, he said.
The minister also directed OSDMA, in coordination with the Police department, to prepare a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) covering operational responsibilities, training standards, infrastructure, equipment, recruitment and human resource management. He also called for detailed documentation of the operational challenges encountered during the recent flood response to strengthen future preparedness.
In the post-flood situation, the minister directed officials to expedite damage assessment in all affected districts and ensure timely completion of assessment relating to crop loss, agricultural land, vegetable cultivation, houses, schools, Anganwadi Centres and other public infrastructure so that compensation and assistance reach affected beneficiaries without delay.
The meeting was attended by Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Managing Director, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and others.