Scheme For Expansion And Modernization Of Fire Services In The States:
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has launched a “Scheme for Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services in the States (SEMFSS)” under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for strengthening fire services in the States.
- The Scheme finds its origin from the recommendation of the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV-FC) which allows an allocation of 12.5 % of each of the NDRF and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the Funding Window of Preparedness and Capacity Building.
- The objective of the scheme is to expand and modernize Fire Services in the States with a view that activities for strengthening of fire services at the State-level through preparedness and capacity-building components of the NDRF will be ensured.
- Out of the total NDRF corpus, an amount of Rs. 5,000 Crore was earmarked for priority “Expanding and Modernization of Fire Services”.
- The amount of Rs. 500 crores, out of the total outlay, has been kept for incentivizing the States on the basis of their legal and infrastructure-based reforms.
- For seeking funds for the projects/proposals under the Scheme, the concerned State Governments shall have to contribute 25% (except for the North-Eastern and Himalayan (NEH) States which shall contribute 10%) of total cost of such projects / proposals from their budgetary resources.
