Haryana is expanding its network of trained young disaster-response volunteers, with another 5,200 youths set to receive specialised training across 14 districts.
The programme is being developed under the Haryana Yuva Aapda Mitra initiative, which builds on the National Disaster Management Authority’s Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme.
Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi announced the expansion during a meeting of the State Executive Committee on Disaster Management. The programme is intended to create a trained volunteer network that can assist authorities during floods, natural disasters and other emergencies.
The earlier phase of the national scheme was implemented in eight Haryana districts during 2025-26. That programme targeted 5,400 young volunteers from organisations including the National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan and Bharat Scouts and Guides.
The new state programme will extend the network to the remaining 14 districts and train another 5,200 volunteers.
Selection will be carried out through the participating youth organisations, while district disaster management authorities will coordinate the training programmes.
The training will include theoretical and practical components, including flood safety and emergency response. Each trained volunteer will also receive an emergency responder kit and three years of life and medical insurance cover.
The initiative is particularly relevant for Haryana because several parts of the state are vulnerable to flooding, waterlogging and extreme weather events during the monsoon season.
Young volunteers can provide an additional layer of local assistance during the initial stages of an emergency, particularly when professional response teams may require time to reach affected areas.
The programme does not replace the role of police, fire services, health authorities or formal disaster-response agencies. Instead, trained community volunteers can potentially assist with basic emergency response, awareness, evacuation and coordination until specialised teams arrive.
The use of NCC, NSS and other youth organisations also provides the government with an established network through which volunteers can be identified and trained.
The success of the initiative will depend on the quality and frequency of training, the availability of equipment and the ability of district administrations to maintain contact with volunteers after their initial certification.
Disaster preparedness has increasingly moved beyond emergency relief towards prevention, early warning and community-level preparedness. Local residents are often the first people to encounter a flood, collapsed structure, fire or other emergency.
A trained volunteer who understands basic safety procedures can potentially help prevent panic and assist vulnerable people while formal emergency services are mobilised.
The insurance cover announced under the programme also recognises that volunteers may face risks while assisting during emergencies.
For Haryana, the expansion to 14 additional districts means the state will have a much larger pool of trained young people available for disaster-response support.
The programme also gives youth organisations a practical role in community service beyond their conventional activities.
With another 5,200 volunteers to be trained, the immediate challenge for the administration will be to ensure that the initiative becomes a functioning district-level network rather than remaining limited to training sessions.
If properly maintained, the volunteer system could provide Haryana with an additional community-based resource during floods, extreme weather and other emergencies.
