Lok Sabha Question No. 4178 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-18
Subject: Flood in Assam
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †4178

ANSWERED ON 1 8.0 7.2019

## FLOOD IN ASSAM

## †4178. SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether loss of crores of rupees takes place in Assam due to flood every year;

(b) the details of funds allocated to the State for their use for the people affected by th last t hree years;

(c)  whether  there  is  any  plan  to  declare  the  floods  in  Assam  as  a  national  problem,  if thereof; and

(d) the reasons for floods of such a massive scale coming in Assam every year including the be taken for resolving this issue?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) & (b)State of Assam suffers loss due to flood every year. The flood management & anti - erosion schemes are planned, investigated and implemented by the State Governments with own resourc priority within the State. The Union Government renders technical guidance and promotional assistance to the States for flood manag ement works in critical areas. Government of India  had laun 'Flood  Management  Programme (FMP)'  during  XI  Plan  for  providing  central  assistance  to  the  State Governments  for  taking  up  works  related  to  river  management,  flood  control,  anti - erosion,  drain ge development, flood proofing works, restoration of damaged flood management work and anti - sea erosion works which was continued during XII Plan. For the period 2017 - 18 to 2019 - 20, FMP is a component of 'Flood Management and Border Area Programme (FMBAP)' Scheme of Ministry .

In  the  State  of  Assam,  a  total  of  141  projects  costing  Rs.2383.11  crore  were  ap included  under  FMP.    During  XI  Plan,  100  projects  with  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.996.14  c approved while during XII Plan, 41 projects with an estimated cost of Rs.1386.97 crore were approv Since start of XI Plan, total Central Assistance released by Government of India to State G Assam under FMP till date is Rs.1201.36 crore. The Central assistance released to State of sam during the  Financial  Year  2017 - 18  &  2018 - 19  under  FMP  areRs. 245.49  crores  and  Rs.142.12  crores respectively.

(c) & (d) The recurrence flood problem in Assam leads to loss of life, property and creates imbalance. Flood is a natural calamity and is attributed to various factors like wide vari both in time and space with frequent departure from normal pattern, inadequate carrying capacities rivers, river bank erosion, silting of river beds, landslides, poor natural drainage, snow lake out bursts. Under the existing Scheme of State Disaster Response Fund/National Disaste Fund of Ministry of Home Affairs, there is no such provision to declare any disaster including flood as a 'National Problem/Calamity'. However, in the event of disaster of a 'severe nature', financial assistance towards  the  notified  natural  disasters  includ ing  flood  is  met  from  the  State  Disaster  Response  F (SDRF)  which  is  further  supplemented  from  the  cess - based  fund  of  National  Disaster  Response  Fund (NDRF) in accordance with the established procedure, which includes an assessment based on t an Inter - Ministerial Central Team.

The Water Resources Department (WRD), Government of Assam, have taken up various fl management schemes for effective flood and erosion management in the State with funds from sources.  The  impact  of  the  flo ods  can  be  mitigated  to  a  certain  degree  by  adopting  combinati structural  and  non - structural  measures.  Central  Water  Commission  is  running  an  elaborate  netw Flood  Forecasting  System  for  providing  timely  early  warning  and  forecast.  The  long  term measures include construction of storage reservoirs, scientific management of catchment area, etc.

*****