News Excerpt:

The Ministry of Railways has made training in disaster management mandatory for railway officers.

More about the news:

• Disaster management has now been incorporated as an integral component of the training module for railway officers at the induction/foundation course level
• The move comes after an investigation into the devastating Odisha train tragedy, which left about 290 passengers dead and scores injured, revealed that the disaster response could have been faster.
• It is also included in refresher or mid-career training programmes. 
• The National Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR), Vadodara, and the Indian Railway Institute of Disaster Management (IRIDM), Bengaluru, would work together to impart the comprehensive training programme.
• The Indian Railways have a safety organisation and an officer of a higher administrative grade designated as the principal chief safety officer in all zonal railways to ensure compliance with safety guidelines and coordinate with different agencies in an emergency.