Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will attend as the chief guest at the inaugural session of the Second Technical Meeting of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Working Group, which will be held in Puri from June 3 to 5, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Monday.
Addressing reporters here, Pujari said Odisha was chosen to host the prestigious international event in recognition of its globally acknowledged achievements in disaster preparedness, cyclone management and early warning systems.
The inaugural session of the meeting will be held on June 4 and attended by representatives, policymakers and disaster management experts from BRICS member and partner countries, along with delegates from various Indian states.
The three-day meeting will be organised under the theme, “Enhancing Disaster Resilience through Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
Pujari described the event as a matter of pride for Odisha, particularly for Puri, saying it would provide an opportunity to showcase the state’s successful disaster management model before the international community while strengthening cooperation among BRICS nations in the field of disaster risk reduction.
BRICS, a major international grouping of emerging economies, comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Iran and Indonesia. Together, these countries account for nearly half of the global population and over one-third of the world’s GDP.
According to the minister, the first technical meeting of the BRICS DRR Working Group was held virtually on April 29-30 this year under the chairmanship of India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The deliberations in Puri will cover a broad range of issues, including community-based disaster risk reduction governance, disaster risk financing, multi-hazard early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, nature-based and indigenous solutions, and the role of science, technology and innovation in disaster management.
Technical sessions will focus on sustainable financing models for disaster risk reduction, inclusive early warning systems, resilient infrastructure and the integration of traditional knowledge into disaster management strategies.
As part of the programme, delegates will visit Ramachandi to witness a boat rescue demonstration exercise showcasing Odisha’s disaster response capabilities.
Pujari said the meeting is expected to result in technical reports and policy frameworks aimed at strengthening cooperation among BRICS nations, identifying scalable financing models and promoting greater knowledge-sharing in disaster risk reduction.
He expressed confidence that the event would further establish Odisha as a global leader in disaster resilience and enhance the state’s international profile in disaster risk management.