Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) will be designated as the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) of Odisha as part of a strategic plan to strengthen disaster management capabilities across the state. The decision was reiterated during a high-level review meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Shri Suresh Pujari at Lok Seva Bhawan.
The transformation will be carried out in a phased manner to create a dedicated response force equipped with enhanced operational capabilities, modern infrastructure, and additional manpower. Under the planned expansion, ODRAF will also get a separate battalion and an independent commanding officer.
The Minister highlighted that the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 mandates the establishment of an SDRF in every state. Following guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Governing Body of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) recommended designating ODRAF as the official SDRF. Minister Pujari directed officials to expedite the operationalisation of this decision so the force can focus exclusively on disaster management duties.
As part of the upcoming expansion, the SDRF headquarters will be set up in the proposed Disaster Management Building (Biparjyaya Parichalana Bhawan). The force will expand from 20 to 30 units, with 10 new units strategically deployed across Odisha to enable faster emergency responses.
During the meeting, Minister Shri Pujari reviewed ODRAF’s recent flood relief operations and praised the personnel for their exemplary service under challenging conditions. As of August 4, the force had deployed 59 teams comprising 674 trained personnel and 59 rescue boats across nine flood-affected districts.
ODRAF personnel logged 490 hours of uninterrupted rescue and relief services, including nearly 58 hours of night-time operations. The force successfully rescued 1,393 people, comprising 852 men and 541 women, along with evacuating 19 pregnant women, shifting six snakebite victims to hospitals, carrying out 25 emergency medical evacuations, saving 213 livestock, and clearing 18 fallen trees to restore road connectivity. Commending their courage and professionalism, the Minister emphasized the ongoing need for systematic capacity building and institutional strengthening to further elevate the state’s disaster preparedness.