Suresh Pujari-led delegation studies Gujarat’s disaster systems; focus shifts to training, technology, mock drills and coordinated emergency response
GTNS | ODISHA
OCTOBER 6, 2026
BHUBANESWAR : Odisha and Gujarat are exploring a stronger institutional partnership in disaster management, with senior officials from both States discussing ways to combine their field experience, training systems and emergency-response capabilities.
The initiative took shape during a high-level Odisha delegation’s visit to Gujarat led by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, accompanied by OSDMA Managing Director-cum-Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil and senior officials.
The Odisha team visited the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) and the Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM) in Gandhinagar to study institutional mechanisms used for disaster preparedness, capacity building and response.
From lessons to joint action
The discussions went beyond sharing information, with both sides examining the possibility of regular training programmes, knowledge-sharing initiatives, joint exercises and specialised workshops.
Areas discussed included emergency preparedness, technology-driven disaster management, capacity building, mock drills, community awareness and systems for rehabilitation and reconstruction following major disasters.
Such cooperation is significant for both States, which have developed specialised experience in handling different categories of natural hazards. Odisha has built a widely recognised disaster-response architecture through OSDMA, while Gujarat has developed extensive institutional experience following major disasters, including the devastating 2001 earthquake.
Smritivan visit highlights lessons from Gujarat earthquake
At Smritivan Earthquake Memorial and Museum in Bhuj, the Odisha delegation examined how Gujarat has used the memory of the 2001 earthquake to promote disaster education, awareness and preparedness.
The memorial, besides preserving the history of the tragedy, provides an educational platform focused on the human impact of disasters and the importance of preparedness.
For Odisha, the visit offered an opportunity to examine how public awareness and institutional memory can be integrated into long-term disaster-risk reduction.
High-level political engagement
During the Gujarat visit, Minister Suresh Pujari met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel and exchanged views on disaster-management initiatives and the scope for closer cooperation between the two States.
The Odisha delegation also held discussions with Gujarat Minister of State for Revenue and Disaster Management Sanjaysinh Vijaysinh Mahida, Additional Chief Secretary Dr Jayanti S. Ravi, Relief Commissioner Gaurang H. Makwana, GSDMA CEO and GIDM Director General Dr Dhabal Patel, along with senior officials.
Building a faster and better-prepared response system
The proposed cooperation places emphasis on a practical objective: ensuring that lessons learned from one State can improve preparedness in another.
Regular joint exercises could help response agencies test coordination before emergencies occur, while workshops and specialised training could strengthen the skills of officials, responders and other stakeholders.
For Odisha and Gujarat, the emerging partnership therefore represents more than an exchange visit. It points toward a shared disaster-resilience model built around preparedness, technology, institutional learning and rapid response.