All stakeholders in the categorised civil defence districts have been asked to participate. These include district controllers, local authorities, civil defence wardens and volunteers, Home Guard personnel, National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) members, and school and college students.
Published May 06, 2025 | 12:23 AM ⚊ Updated May 06, 2025 | 12:23 AM
A national cadet corps parade at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru
Synopsis: India will conduct a nationwide Civil Defence Mock Drill on 7 May across all states and union territories, aimed at strengthening preparedness amid rising tensions with Pakistan following a recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The exercise, mandated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, will assess the functionality of warning systems, communication networks, evacuation plans, and civil defence services, while involving local authorities, volunteers, and students.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (Ministry of Home Affairs, MHA) has directed all states and union territories to conduct a Civil Defence Mock Drill on 7 May, as part of a nationwide effort to enhance civil defence preparedness.
The move comes amid heightened tensions with Pakistan following April’s terror attack in the Pahalgam region of Jammu and Kashmir, which was claimed by a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot.
“In continuation of our earlier communication dated 2 May 2025 regarding the strengthening of civil defence preparedness in vulnerable areas (copy enclosed), and in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 19 of the Civil Defence Rules, 1968, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has decided to organise Civil Defence Exercise and Rehearsal across the 244 categorised civil defence districts of the country on 07.05.2025,” the MHA said in an order dated 5 May.
“The conduct of the exercise is planned up to the village level. This exercise aims to assess and enhance the readiness of civil defence mechanisms across all states and union territories.”
All stakeholders in the categorised civil defence districts have been asked to participate.
These include district controllers, local authorities, civil defence wardens and volunteers, Home Guard personnel, National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) members, and school and college students.
A prior letter from the Directorate General Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards, dated 2 May, had outlined the government’s focus on vulnerable areas.
“The issue of strengthening of civil defence set-up and maintaining optimum civil defence preparedness in the categorised CD towns/districts at states/UTs has been emphasised by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister during their address at the ‘Chintan Shivir’, held at Surajkund, Haryana on 27 and 28 October 2022, followed by Union Home Secretary DO Letter dated 16 January 2023 (copy enclosed). I am writing to you to augment the civil defence preparedness of the categorised CD towns/districts of your states/UTs,” it stated.
“Civil defence is considered an integral component of the nation’s passive defence strategy. The implementation of civil defence measures in the vulnerable areas is governed by the Civil Defence Act, 1968. In the current geopolitical scenario, new and complex threats and challenges have emerged, hence, it would be prudent that optimum civil defence preparedness in the states/UTs is maintained at all times.”
States and union territories have been asked to involve all stakeholders and submit an “action taken report” to the Directorate at the earliest.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
