IPS officer O P Singh appointed new Director General of NDRF

NEW DELHI:Senior IPS officer O P Singh has been appointed the new chief of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a central paramilitary tasked with carrying out relief and rescue operations during calamities.

Singh, a 1983 batch officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, will take over the post of the Director General of NDRF from September 1, in an additional capacity, as incumbent Mahboob Alam is set to retire tomorrow.

The officer is currently serving as the Additional DG of the Central Industrial Security Force (Airport sector) at the forces headquarters here.

Singh has the unique distinction of being the first IPS officer to have obtained an MBA degree in disaster management discipline.

He has earlier served as ADG (Security) in Uttar Pradesh while at the the centre, Singh has served in the Prime Minister's special security unit-- SPG and paramilitary CRPF.

A Home Ministry order issued yesterday said he would hold the charge till a new and regular appointment is made.

The NDRF is a ten-battalion (about 10,000 personnel) strong force which works under the command of the Union Home Ministry and its personnel are brought on deputation from various paramilitary forces like CRPF, BSF, CISF, SSB and ITBP.