With chances of conventional war becoming rare, the Centre has mooted a proposal to change the character of civil defence by giving its volunteers the responsibility of tackling disasters in addition to protecting people and property from external aggression or internal disturbances. Currently, the activities of civil defence is to provide necessary support to citizens in 124 selected cities at the time of external aggression. Under the proposed change, the Centre is plans to extend its activities to all 604 districts in the country. The decision to revamp the civil defence during the 11th Plan at a cost of Rs 100 crore was taken at the first meeting of the reconstituted home minister's civil defence advisory committee here on Wednesday. The committee endorsed suggestions of the panel headed K M Singh