Patna, April 30: Twenty-nine more districts of Bihar are likely to be notified as civil defence districts. At present, only four districts of the state, including Patna, have been notified as civil defence districts.

Director general-cum-civil defence commissioner J.K. Khanna said on Saturday that the civil defence department has submitted a proposal to the Bihar government suggesting to notify 29 more districts of the state as civil defence districts.

“The need of the hour is to develop basic infrastructural facilities in these districts so that the people could be provided relief at the time of natural calamities,” Khanna, who retired from service today, said. Earlier, he was accorded guard of honour by the police department.

He said that four districts — Patna, Begusarai, Katihar and Purnea — have already been notified as the civil defence districts. Though the proposal has also been sent to the Union government, the state government in principle has agreed to develop infrastructure in these districts to deal with the situation.

Khanna further said one battalion of the state disaster response force (SDRF) was being raised in Bihar to meet the challenges at the time of natural calamities. “The training centre for the new recruits will be set up at Bihta in Patna rural,” he said.

He said the SDRF battalion would have a sanctioned strength of 1,152 personnel. The Centre has already sanctioned Rs 60 lakh for construction of the building, he said, adding that the process of land acquisition is complete and construction work would start soon. The civil defence department has also submitted a proposal for its merger with the state fire services.