Lok Sabha Question No. 142 (STARRED), answered on 2024-08-01
Subject: Construction of Embankments in Punjab
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *142

ANSWERED ON 01.08.2024

## CONSTRUCTION OF EMBANKMENTS IN PUNJAB

*142.    SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it has come to the notice of the Union Government that the Government of Punjab has started to build embankments and strengthening them after the Meteorological Department's warning of heavy rainfall and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  heavy  rainfall  gushes  water  through  thousands  acres  of  paddy every year and such last minute rush repair of embankment amounts to only wastage of funds and corruption;
- (c)  if  so,  whether  the  Union  Government  has  allocated  funds  to  the  State  of  Punjab  for  making  proper embankments to prevent rainwater flooding of the crops and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)  whether  the  Union  Government  proposes  to  make  a  policy  to  prevent  this  last  minute  repair  of embankment causing damages and loss to the exchequer and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI C R PAATIL)

(a) to (d) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *142 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2024 IN LOK SABHA REGARDING 'CONSTRUCTION OF EMBANKMENTS IN PUNJAB'

(a) Government of Punjab has informed that, no new embankments have been built in the State. Only the works  of  strengthening  and  raising  have  been  taken  up  before  the  rainfall/  Monsoon.  Such  type  of  flood protection works are generally carried out every year.

(b) Government of Punjab has informed that no last minute rush repair works of embankments have been taken up by Water Resource Department, Punjab. Every year, the incidents of flooding due to heavy rainfall do not take place. One incident of heavy rainfall was reported in July 2023 and before this, flooding was reported in September 2019.

(c) Flood management including erosion control falls within the purview of the States. Flood management and  anti-erosion  schemes  are  formulated  and  implemented  by  concerned  State  Governments  as  per  their priority. The Union Government supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical guidance and also promotional financial assistance for management of floods in critical areas. Flood management measures are broadly categorized as structural measures and non-structural measures. Integrated flood approach aims at  adopting  judicious  mix  of  structural  and  non-structural  measures  to  provide  a  reasonable  degree  of protection against flood damages at economic cost.

To  strengthen  the  structural  measures  of  flood  management,  Union  Government  had  implemented Flood Management Programme (FMP) during XI & XII Plans for providing central assistance to States for works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, anti-sea erosion, etc. which subsequently continued as a component of "Flood Management and Border Areas Programme" (FMBAP) for the period from 2017-18 to 2020-21 and was further extended up to 2026 with limited outlay.

Under  the  FMP  and  River  Management  Activities  &  Works  Related  to  Border  Areas  (RMBA) component of FMBAP scheme, upto March 2024, total central assistance of Rs 40.43 Crore and 26.16 Crore respectively has been released to the Government of Punjab

(d) No such policy is under consideration of the Government.

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