Lok Sabha Question No. 1869 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-22
Subject: Dredging of Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Imtiaz Jaleel Syed, Asaduddin Owaisi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1869 ANSWERED ON 22.09.2020

## DREDGING OF RIVERS

## 1869. SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has undertaken dredging of rivers across the country to reduce fl so, the details thereof;

(b)  the  names  of  rivers  where  dredging  work  is  going  on  or  has  been  u ndertaken  by  the  Government during the last one year;

(c)  whether  in  view  of  recent  floods  in  different  States  especially  in  Bihar  and  Utta Government has chalked out a plan to dredge rivers across the country in the coming months a the details thereof;

(d) the total amount spent by the Government in consultation with States on dredging of riv last three years, river - wise; and

(e) the results achieved during monsoon season due to this exercise and further steps taken or being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a), (b), (c) & (e) Erosion and deposition of silt is a natural process in alluvial rivers. Rive and drop silt load as per their regime conditions i.e. discharge in the river, river slope, of silt etc. The issue of desilting / dredging of rivers has been considered by Government since long an this context a multi - disciplinary Committee headed by Former Chairman, Central Water Commission 2002  (Mittal  Committee)  has  opined  that  large  scale  desilting  or  dredging  of  rivers  in is  not feasible technically due to several reasons like non - sustainability, non -availability of vast land required the disposal of dredged material etc. The Committee, however, suggested that selective dred undertaken  depending  upon  local  co nditions.  The  desilting  measures  including  dredging  in  sp reaches  of  rivers  for  removal  of  drainage  congestion,  channel  capacity  improvement  and purpose are undertaken by concerned States/ agencies as per requirement.

(d)  Data  on  funds  al located  /  spent  by  States  on  dredging  of  rivers  is  not  maintained  cent Th measures for flood management including desilting / dred ing of rivers are formulated and implemen by the State Governments as per their priority. The Government of India supplements the eff Governments by providing technical advice and promotional financial assistance for flood man t in critical areas. Government of India launched Flood Management Programme (FMP) during XI Plan f providing financial assistance to the State Governments for taking up works related to rive flood  control,  anti - erosion,  drainage  development ,  flood  proofing  works,  restoration  of  damaged  fl management works and anti - sea erosion works which was continued during XII Plan and further ex up to March 2021 as a component under Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP State - wise central assistance released to States/UTs under FMBAP during the last three years

## Annexure I .

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (d ) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1869 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 22.9.2020 REGARDING ' DREDGING OF RIVERS ".

State - wise  central  assistance  released  to  States/UTs  under  Flood  Management  and  Borde Areas Programme (FMBAP) during last three years

Rs in crores

| S. No.   | States            |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |   Total funds released |
|----------|-------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------------|
| 1        | Arunachal Pradesh |   21.18   |    0      |     0     |                21.18   |
|          | Assam             |  245.49   |  142.12   |    85.03  |               472.64   |
| 2        | Bihar             |   52.57   |  132.27   |    65.29  |               250.13   |
| 3        | Himachal Pradesh  |   87.5    |  162.6    |   176.41  |               426.51   |
| 4        | Jammu & Kashmir   |  119.17   |   55.0325 |    97.058 |               271.26   |
| 5        | Kerala            |   19.05   |    0      |     0     |                19.05   |
| 6        | Mizoram           |    0.48   |    0      |     0     |                 0.48   |
| 7        | Nagaland          |    0      |   10.84   |     0     |                10.84   |
| 8        | Uttar Pradesh     |  103.98   |   87.87   |    39.15  |               231      |
| 9        | Uttarakhand       |    0      |    4.63   |    35.58  |                40.21   |
| 10       | Punjab            |    7.4725 |    0      |     0     |                 7.4725 |
| 11       | West Bengal       |   65.03   |   89.3    |   117.12  |               271.45   |
|          | Total             |  721.923  |  684.663  |   615.638 |              2022.22   |

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