Agartala, December 6:
Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Saturday announced a major expansion of the state’s disaster preparedness framework, declaring that the government aims to train Civil Defence volunteers equivalent to 1% of the state’s total population in the coming years.
Speaking at the 63rd All India Civil Defence and Home Guard Day at Manoranjan Debbarma Smriti Stadium in AD Nagar, Dr. Saha said the state has significantly enhanced manpower, equipment and training infrastructure compared to earlier years, resulting in a more robust and responsive disaster management system.
He highlighted the evolution of Civil Defence in Tripura, noting that although the Civil Defence Act was enacted nationally in 1968, it was formally introduced in the state in 1971. The system operated under the Home Department until 2019, before being shifted to the Revenue Department in 2020. This administrative shift enabled Tripura to extend Civil Defence operations to all eight districts from July 2021.
Currently, the state has around 5,000 trained Civil Defence volunteers who receive training through the Central Training Institute and district-level camps. Additional District Magistrates and District Magistrates act as Civil Defence Controllers, while the Director of Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management serves as the State Director of Civil Defence.
Dr. Saha announced that the Central Government has approved an advanced training project under which 3,000 additional Civil Defence volunteers will be trained by March 31, 2026. Alongside this, the state has built a strong Apada Mitra network with about 2,500 trained volunteers actively supporting rescue operations, awareness programmes and district control room functions. Under the Youth Apada Mitra Scheme, 1,600 more volunteers from NSS, NCC, My Bharat and Bharat Scouts & Guides will be trained this financial year.
The Chief Minister praised the dedication of Civil Defence, Home Guard and Apada Mitra volunteers, recalling their critical role during the August 2024 floods and their contribution to Operation Sindoor. He also inspected a parade, administered the oath and presented awards, besides visiting an exhibition and witnessing a mock disaster-response demonstration.
The event was attended by Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha, DGP Anurag and other senior officials.
