Lok Sabha Question No. 4763 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-31
Subject: Occurrence of Floods
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Abdul Majeed Ariff

## 4763.  ADV. A.M. ARIFF

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the occurrence of floods due to excess rainfall in a short duration of time in different States of the country in the recent period and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to commission a detailed study on the construction of flood control dams in major rivers of the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  extend  technical  and  financial  assistance  to  the  State  for  the construction of flood control dams on a priority basis; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a) Floods are natural calamity that the country faces almost every year, in varying degrees of magnitude. The occurrence of floods can be attributed to various factors, including wide variations in rainfall both in time and space with frequent departures from the normal pattern, inadequate carrying capacities of rivers, river bank erosion and silting of river beds, landslides,  poor  natural  drainage  in  flood  prone  areas,  snowmelt  and  glacial  lake  out-bursts,  etc.  Central  Water Commission (CWC) is the nodal Organisation entrusted with the task of flood forecasting & early flood warnings in the country. Presently, CWC issues flood forecasts for 331 forecasting stations (199 river level forecast stations & 132 dam/ barrage inflow forecast stations). These stations cover 20 major river basins in 23 States & 2 Union Territories. As per flood forecasting network of CWC, during the last 3 years, in addition to existing flood prone states of Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, extreme floods (water level above previous Highest Flood Level) were witnessed in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan due to excess to large excess rainfall in these states combined with extremely heavy rainfall in short duration.

(b) & (c) National Water Development Agency (NWDA) under Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been entrusted with work to undertake studies and prepare reports for Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) as per National Perspective Plan (NPP). Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) Programme envisages transfer of water from surplus  basins  to  deficit  ones  and  this  will  help  in  mitigating  the  effect  of  floods  and  droughts.  National  Water Development Agency (NWDA) identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component & 14 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports (FRs). The implementation of National Perspective Plan would provide benefits of 25 million ha of irrigation from surface waters, 10 million ha by increased use of ground waters, raising the ultimate irrigation potential from 140 million ha to 175 million ha and generation of 34 million KW of power, apart from the incidental benefits of flood control, drought mitigation, navigation, water supply, fisheries, salinity and pollution control etc  The  Government is pursuing the inter-linking of rivers (ILR) program in a consultative manner and accorded top priority.

(d) & (e) Water resources projects are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments from their own resources for serving various purposes like irrigation, drinking water. flood control, hydropower etc. Ministry of Jal Shkati  through  its  Schemes  like  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana-Accelerated  Irrigation  Benefit  Programme, National  Projects/Special  Projects,  Flood  Management  and  Border  Areas  Programme,  etc.  extends  technical  and promotional financial assistance to the States/UTs for the taking up such projects.

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4763

ANSWERED ON 31.03.2022

## OCCURENCE OF FLOODS