Lok Sabha Question No. 1817 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-05
Subject: Strengthen Flood Management in Bihar
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Sudhakar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1817

ANSWERED ON 05.12.2024

## STRENGTHEN FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN BIHAR

## 1817. SHRI SUDHAKAR SINGH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  strengthen  flood  management  in  Bihar  given  its  recurrent vulnerability to severe flooding;

(b) the status of ongoing flood control projects in Bihar along with the specific measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to protect districts like Buxar, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur facing frequent flood devastation; (c)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  studies  or  assessments  on  the  effectiveness  of  existing  flood management infrastructure such as embankments and drainage systems in Bihar and if so, the details thereof; (d) whether the Government has taken any new initiatives or planned collaborations with the State Government of Bihar to enhance early warning systems, disaster preparedness and the resilience of communities in flood-prone areas and if so, the details thereof; and

(e)  the  strategy  adopted  by  the  Government  for  long-term  flood  mitigation  in  Bihar  especially  in  the  context  of climate change and its impact on river systems in the region?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) to (c) Flood management projects are formulated and implemented by concerned State Governments from own resources 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.

To strengthen the structural measures of flood management, Ministry had implemented during XI & XII Plan Flood  Management  Programme  (FMP)  for  providing  Central  Assistance  to  States  for  works  related  to  river management, 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 further extended up to September 2022 with limited outlay. The Government has approved FMBAP with total outlay of Rs. 4,100 crore for a period of 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26. A central assistance of Rs 924.40 crore under FMP component and Rs 699.64 crore under RMBA component has been released to Bihar. The 42 projects completed under this Programme in the State of Bihar have provided reasonable protection to an area of around  28.67  Lakh  hectares  and  protected a  population  of  about  223.46  Lakh.  State  Government  of  Bihar  has informed that embankments of length 3800.41 Km have been constructed on different Rivers in Bihar for flood protection.

Measures taken by the Govt. of Bihar to protect flood prone area in Buxer, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur district  in  Bihar  under  Flood  Management  Programme  (FMP)  compoent  of  FMBAP  is  attached  as Annexure-

I . Measures proposed to be taken to protect flood prone area in Buxer, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur district in Bihar is attached as Annexure-II .

As  part of monitoring  of  the  centrally assisted projects,  the  concurrent  evaluation  studies  during construction  and  performance  evaluation  after  construction  of  flood  management  project  are  being  done  by  the State Governments through third party.

(d) As a non-structural measure of flood management, Central Water Commission (CWC) issues flood forecasts at identified  locations  in  consultation  with  State  Governments.  CWC  also  issues  inflow  forecasts  to  identified reservoirs for proper reservoir regulation. Presently in the State of Bihar, Central Water Commission maintain 43 FF station (40 Level Forecast Stations + 03 Inflow Forecast Stations).

In  order  to  provide  more  lead  time  to the  local  authorities  to  plan  evacuation  of  people  &  take  other remedial measures, Central Water Commission (CWC) has developed basin wise flood forecasting model based on rainfall-runoff mathematical modelling for 7 days advance flood forecast advisory at identified flood forecasting and inflow forecasting stations in addition to short-range forecast having response time upto 24 hours. CWC flood forecasting services are also integrated with integrated alert dissemination platform Common Alert Protocol (CAP) issued to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) of the respective States/ UTs, including State of Bihar.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) implemented Pilot Scheme namely Aapda Mitra from 2016 to 2021 in 30 most flood prone Districts of 25 States/UTs , in order to train 6000 community volunteers (200 in each District) in disaster response with a focus on flood .

NDMA has also started Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme from 2024-25 to train 2,37,326 volunteers from NCC, NSS,  NYKS,  and  BS&G  in disaster  response  covering  all  States  (315  Districts)  prone  to  landslide,  cyclone, earthquake, and floods to provide them an Emergency Responder Kit.

BEFIQR  app  has  been  developed  by  Government  of  Bihar  to  disseminate  flood  related  information  to different stakeholders in real time.

(e) The main reason for floods in the State of Bihar is on account of increased discharge in rivers of North Bihar like Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla, Kosi and Mahananda due to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas  which  mainly  lie  in  Nepal.  The  related  issues  are  discussed  in  the  existing  Indo-Nepal  bilateral  three  tier mechanisms  comprising  of  (i)  Joint  Ministerial  Level  Commission  on  Water  Resources  (JMCWR)  (ii)  Joint Committee  on  Water  Resources  (JCWR)  and  (iii)  Joint  Standing  Technical  Committee  (JSTC).  Government  of India  is  having  regular  dialogue  with  the  Government  of  Nepal  for  construction  of  dams  for  long-term  flood mitigation on these rivers for mutual benefit of the two countries which includes flood control.

Apart  from  this,  to  reduce  the  impact  of  floods  through  barrages,  a  committee  of  officials  of  Central  Water Commission, NWDA, Ganga Flood Control Commission and Water Resources Department, Government of Bihar was  constituted  by  the  Central  Water  Commission  in  June  2024.  One  of  the  barrages  identified  in  the recommendation report of this committee is also on Kosi river, which is proposed in Dagmara of Supaul district. As per the recommendation of the committee, the work of studying the utility of this barrage in hydropower, flood control and irrigation and its technical feasibility has been identified by the Bihar government.

*****

## ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1817 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 05.12.2024 REGARDING 'STRENGTHEN FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN BIHAR'.

| Measures taken by the Govt. to protect flood prone area in Buxer, Darbhanga and Muzafferpur district in Bihar under FMB component of FMBAP   | Measures taken by the Govt. to protect flood prone area in Buxer, Darbhanga and Muzafferpur district in Bihar under FMB component of FMBAP   | Measures taken by the Govt. to protect flood prone area in Buxer, Darbhanga and Muzafferpur district in Bihar under FMB component of FMBAP                                                                                                                                       | Measures taken by the Govt. to protect flood prone area in Buxer, Darbhanga and Muzafferpur district in Bihar under FMB component of FMBAP   | Measures taken by the Govt. to protect flood prone area in Buxer, Darbhanga and Muzafferpur district in Bihar under FMB component of FMBAP   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                                                                                                      | Scheme Code                                                                                                                                  | Title of Scheme                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Estimated Cost (Crore)                                                                                                                       | District Benifitted                                                                                                                          |
| 2                                                                                                                                            | BR-02                                                                                                                                        | Bagmati Flood Management, Embankment construction (l/b 17.55 to 56.97km, r/b 15.2 to 56.97 km)                                                                                                                                                                                   | 135.16                                                                                                                                       | Sitamadhi, Shivhar, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Sitamadhi                                                                                        |
| 4                                                                                                                                            | BR-14                                                                                                                                        | Raising and strengthening of right BurhiGandak embankment from 8.00 km u/s of Akharaghat to 39.00 km d/s of Akharaghat.                                                                                                                                                          | 12.00                                                                                                                                        | Muzaffarpur                                                                                                                                  |
| 5                                                                                                                                            | BR-15                                                                                                                                        | Darbhanga Town Protection Scheme Part- I                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 9.33                                                                                                                                         | Darbhanga                                                                                                                                    |
| 6                                                                                                                                            | BR-16                                                                                                                                        | Darbhanga Town Protection Scheme Part-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 14.16                                                                                                                                        | Darbhanga                                                                                                                                    |
| 7                                                                                                                                            | BR-17                                                                                                                                        | II Darbhanga Town Protection Scheme Part- III                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 10.60                                                                                                                                        | Darbhanga                                                                                                                                    |
| 9                                                                                                                                            | BR-34                                                                                                                                        | Anti erosion work at PaharpurManorath, Bangara, Barar, Gayeetola in between 5.00 to 6.00 mile of Tirhut embankment along river Gandak in Muzaffarpur district(Bihar)                                                                                                             | 8.13                                                                                                                                         | Muzaffarpur                                                                                                                                  |
| 10                                                                                                                                           | BR-36                                                                                                                                        | Anti Erosion Work Between Ch 135 -160(Sector B) Near village Kewatia, 143 - 160.38Ch Near village Majharia& 1491 - 1505.75 Ch Near village Nainijore(Sector - C) of BKG Embankment on right bank of river Ganga In districts Bhojpur&Buxar in Bihar                              | 7.55                                                                                                                                         | Buxar&Bhojpur                                                                                                                                |
| 11                                                                                                                                           | BR-41                                                                                                                                        | Extension of embankment on left and right bank of river Kamala Balan in lengths of 11.42 km and 5.00 km with brick soling road on top in left over reaches and protection work at two points on extended portion of right KamlaBalan embankment in DisttDarbhanga and Madhubani. | 56.12                                                                                                                                        | Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Khagaria, Saharsa                                                                                          |
| 12                                                                                                                                           | BR-48                                                                                                                                        | Bagmati Flood Management Scheme Phase-II, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Samastipur districts.                                                                                                                                                                                            | 120.94                                                                                                                                       | Sitamadhi, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Samastipur                                                                                                |
| 13                                                                                                                                           | BR-49                                                                                                                                        | Raising &Strengthening of Adhwara and Khiroi left embankment from RD 0.0 Km to RD 43.60 Km and from RD 44.00 Km to RD 90.50 Km and right embankment from RD 0.0 Km to RD 81.50 Km in Sitamarhi, Madhubani and Darbhanga districts of Bihar                                       | 167.03                                                                                                                                       | Sitamadhi, Darbhanga, madhubani                                                                                                              |
|                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                              | Total estimated cost in Rs. Crore                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 541.02                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                              |

## ANNEXURE-II

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1817 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 05.12.2024 REGARDING 'STRENGTHEN FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN BIHAR'.

## Measures proposed to be taken by the Govt. to protect flood prone area inBuxer, Darbhanga and Muzafferpur district in Bihar

| S.No.   | Name of Scheme                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |   Estd.Cost (in crore) |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|
| 1.      | Raising, Strengthenig and Puccikaran of Left KamlaBalan embankment &Right KamlaBalan embankment Phase-I(Pipraghat Bridge to Thangha bridge) LKBE between Km27.10 to km 66.30 & RKBE between km 23.20 to km 64.00                                                                                                                                                                        |                 325.12 |
| 2.      | Raising and strengthening and Puccikaran of left and right KamlaBalan embankment (Phase-II) from km 66.300 (FatkiKutti) to km 92.500 (Punach) of L.K.B.E. and from km 64.00 (Thengha) to km 94.00 (Palwa) of R.K.B.E.                                                                                                                                                                   |                 297.08 |
| 3.      | Raising, Strengthening and Puckkikaran of left and right KamlaBalan Embankment (Phase-III) from km 0.00 (Jainagar) to km 11.72(Kasama),km 21.50 (Pirahi) to km 27.10(Pipraghat) and km 92.50 (Punach) to km105.35(Ghoghepur) of Left KamlaBalan Embankment and from km 0.00(Jainagar) to km 23.20 (Bhatgama) and km 94.00 (Palwa) to km 111.29 (Phuhia) of Right KamlaBalan Embankment. |                 255.46 |
| 4.      | Bagmati Flood Management Scheme-Phase-V(a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                 338.69 |
|         | Total in Rs. Crore                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                1216.35 |

*****