Lok Sabha Question No. 782 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-02
Subject: Increase in Floods
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 782 ANSWERED ON 02.12.2021

## INCREASE IN FLOODS

## 782.          SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the increased susceptibility of the country to floods;

(b) whether the Government has formulated plans to inter-link rivers to prevent flooding;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the projects sanctioned, the estimated cost, funds disbursed and the estimated timeline of completion; and

(d) whether there are any specific plans for linking Ganga, Gandak and Kosi rivers in Bihar and if so, the details thereof along with the progress made in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a)  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). As per the assessment of NWDA, about 166 BCM of waters would be diverted through the 30 link projects including provision of 14.00 BCM of waters for domestic & industrial uses. 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. Implementation of the inter-linking of rivers programme requires  consensus among the  concerned states. The  Government  is  pursuing  the  inter-linking  of  rivers  (ILR)  program  in  a  consultative  manner  and  has accorded top priority.

## (d)  As per National Water Development Agency, the status of National Perspective Plan links for rivers in the State of Bihar are as under-

|   Sl. No. | Name of link                                | Present Status                                |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga Link             | Feasibility Report completed                  |
|         2 | Kosi-Ghaghra link                           | Pre-Feasibility Report completed              |
|         3 | Gandak-Ganga link                           | Feasibility Report completed (Indian portion) |
|         4 | Ghaghra-Yamuna link                         | Feasibility Report completed (Indian portion) |
|         5 | Sarda-Yamuna link                           | Feasibility Report completed (Indian portion) |
|         6 | Chunar-Sone Barrage link                    | Draft Feasibility Report completed            |
|         7 | Sone Dam-Southern Tributaries of Ganga Link | Pre-Feasibility Report completed              |
|         8 | Kosi-Mechi link                             | Pre-Feasibility Report completed              |

The status of Intra-state link projects in the state of Bihar is as under-

|   Sl. no | Name of link project               | Present status                                                                                                       |
|----------|------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Kosi - Mechi link                  | DPR completed. Environmental clearance accorded. Investment clearance recommended.                                   |
|        2 | Burhi Gandak-None- Baya-Ganga link | DPR completed.CWC opined that the project may be considered as Flood Moderation project. Informed to Govt. of Bihar. |
|        3 | Kosi-Ganga link                    | PFR completed.                                                                                                       |
|        4 | Sone- Falgu link                   | Preliminary study has been taken up.                                                                                 |

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