Bhubaneswar: The govt has planned to provide training to civil defence volunteers in areas, including psychological warfare and drone attack defence, preparing them for emergency situations.“A proposal has been sent to the ministry of home affairs to facilitate capacity-building programme for civil defence master trainers. The aim is to enhance the capacity and basic skills of civil defence volunteers, enabling them respond effectively to a variety of emergency scenarios. Initially, we plan to rope in National Disaster Response Force to impart disaster preparedness lessons to the volunteers,” director general (fire and emergency services) Sudhansu Sarangi told TOI.Official sources indicate that both serving and retired Army personnel could be engaged to train civil defence wardens in psychological warfare, covering aspects such as panic management, propaganda identification, rumour control and crowd behaviour.The training programme will encompass essential service maintenance, community drills, evacuation procedures, protection against nuclear, biological and chemical threats, stretcher handling techniques, patient transport, emergency rescue methods, casualty management, debris removal, warning systems and emergency shelter administration.“The govt’s emphasis on strengthening civil defence follows the Centre’s directive to all states to enhance their civil defence readiness, following tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror incident,” a govt official said. “New equipment will be purchased from disaster response fund,” he said.Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently called for public participation in the state’s civil defence wing as volunteers. He has instructed the extension of civil defence units beyond the current 12 districts into new areas.The civil defence unit, which operates under the state directorate of fire services, home guards and civil defence, has reportedly been neglected compared to other departments over time.Official data shows that Odisha’s civil defence volunteer strength has declined from 21,000 10 years ago to just 753 active members presently, with 401 based in Bhubaneswar. Unlike govt-recruited firefighters and home guards, individuals can join civil defence as volunteers through a straightforward application process.