Ministry of Home Affairs, ISRO sign MoU to modernise Emergency Response

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on September 20, 2018 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up the state-of-the-art Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR-ER) in Ministry of Home Affairs.

The MoU was signed by Joint Secretary (Disaster Management), Sanjeev Kumar Jindal on behalf of MHA and PVN Rao, Deputy Director, NRSC, ISRO.

Highlights of the agreement

• Under the MoU, the ISRO will render its technical expertise for setting up of proposed ICR-ER.

• The project will be executed under overall supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

• The proposed Control Room is expected to be established in next one-and-a-half year.

• The ICR-ER will cater to the requirement of Disaster Management as well as Internal Security.

• ICR-ER will address the requirement of receipt of information on near real-time basis.

• It will also address strategic level monitoring, situation awareness, command and control, preparedness and response in the diverse internal security situation and disaster related emergencies.

• Hence, it will aim to increase the operational effectiveness and will be helpful in rendering timely response during various emergency situations.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

• The Indian Space Research Organization was set up at Ahmadabad in 1969 by Prof Vikram Sarabhai as its Chairman.

• It is the apex body to provide guidelines, formulate policies and monitor implementation of the national space policy.

• ISRO is managed by the Department of Space (DoS) of the Government of India. DoS itself falls under the authority of the Prime Minister.

• The organisation is directed towards self reliant use of space technology for national development with the main thrust on mass communication and education via satellite; management of natural resources through remote sensing technology; and development of indigenous satellites and launch vehicles.

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