New Delhi [India], August 2 : In a significant step towards making Delhi's disaster management system stronger, more modern, and more professional, the Delhi Government has decided to enhance the remuneration of staff working under the Delhi State Disaster Management Authority (DSDMA), including Project Officers (POs), District Project Officers (DPOs), and Project Coordinators (PCs).
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision will provide these personnel with a remuneration increase of up to 100 per cent.
She described it as a long-overdue measure to deliver justice to officials who have served as the backbone of Delhi's disaster management system since 2009, despite not receiving a single revision in their remuneration over the past 16 years.
The Chief Minister said these positions were created in 2009 with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Since then, the monthly remuneration of Project Officers, District Project Officers, and Project Coordinators had remained unchanged for 16 years. During this period, inflation rose, disaster management challenges became more complex, responsibilities continued to expand, and the scope of their work grew significantly.
Yet, the monthly remuneration remained fixed at Rs 25,000 for Project Officers and District Project Officers, and Rs 20,000 for Project Coordinators. She further said that these posts were never linked to any regular government pay structure or equivalent pay category. As a result, the staff neither benefited from periodic pay revisions nor received Dearness Allowance (DA), unlike other government employees.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that, after taking all these factors into account, the approved remuneration structure provides for an increase of up to 100 per cent for these personnel. She said the revision is not an ex gratia benefit, but a step towards establishing a fair and competitive remuneration structure that reflects their responsibilities, experience, technical expertise, and the demands of the present time.
The Chief Minister said these personnel perform far more than routine office duties. They discharge critical statutory responsibilities under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Their work includes preparing district-level disaster management plans, carrying out scientific risk assessments, assessing vulnerabilities in Delhi's sensitive areas and among vulnerable populations, formulating risk mitigation strategies, coordinating among various departments, and managing Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs) during disasters while ensuring real-time coordination between the NDRF, SDRF, Fire Services, Police, the Health Department, and other agencies.
They also organise training programmes, conduct large-scale mock drills, and play an important role in building the capacity of various stakeholders.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the remuneration for these posts under DSDMA had remained significantly lower than that offered for similar positions in other states and even in various departments of the Delhi Government. While officers performing comparable responsibilities in states such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh receive remuneration of around Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000 or more, contractual positions at a similar level in other Delhi Government departments are also paid substantially better. She said such a disparity was not appropriate for a high-risk metropolitan city like the National Capital.
The Chief Minister added that the government will also consider welfare measures in the future to further strengthen and professionalise this cadre, including performance-based annual increments, medical coverage for employees and their families, as well as opportunities for training, workshops, and capacity building.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Delhi Government's objective is not merely to increase remuneration, but to build a disaster management system that is stronger, more modern, and better prepared for future challenges.
She said the disaster management personnel have made a significant contribution to Delhi's safety while working for years on limited remuneration, and that recognising their experience, expertise, and dedication is the government's responsibility. She added that the decision will not only deliver justice to these personnel but will also further strengthen the safety of nearly 3.2 crore people living in Delhi.