Lok Sabha Question No. 1616 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-05
Subject: Flood Relief and Rehabilitation in Assam
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1616

ANSWERED ON 05.12.2024

## FLOOD RELIEF AND REHABILITATION IN ASSAM

## 1616.    SHRI GAURAV GOGOI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the status of the utilization of funds allocated in the Union Budget 2024 for flood relief and rehabilitation measures in Assam;

(b) the steps taken/being taken to strengthen and maintain flood protection infrastructure in flood-prone areas of Assam during the last five years and the current year;

(c) the details of measures implemented by the Government to improve early warning systems for flood alerts and evacuations in Assam; and

(d)  whether  the  Government  plans  to  empower  local  communities  to  participate  in  flood  mitigation  and preparedness efforts and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) The  primary  responsibility  of  disaster  management  rests  with  the  State  Government  concerned.  The Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Government and provides requisite logistics and financial support. The State Government undertakes assessment of damages caused due to 12 notified natural calamities including rain and floods and provide relief assistance from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at their disposal as per Government of India's approved norms. Additional financial assistance is provided from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as per laid down procedure in case of disaster of 'severe nature' which includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has released ₹ 5858.60 crore to 14 flood-affected states as a central  share  from  the  State  Disaster  Response  Fund  (SDRF)  and  an  advance  from  the  National  Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). This include ₹ 716 crore to Assam during this year.

(b) & (c) 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. To strengthen the structural measures of flood management, Ministry had implemented during XI & XII Plan Flood Management (FMP) for providing Central Assistance to States for works related to river management, flood control, anti-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 scheme with total outlay of Rs. 4,100 crores for a period of 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26. Year wise Central Assistance (CA) released to the State of Assam during last 5 years under FMP Component of FMBAP is given as under:

| Financial Year   | Central Assistance (CA) released (Rs. in Cr.)   |
|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2019-20          | 85.03                                           |
| 2020-21          | -                                               |
| 2021-22          | 14.80                                           |
| 2022-23          | 248.65                                          |
| 2023-24          | 7.20                                            |
| Total            | 355.68                                          |

Moreover,  Government  of  India  has  constituted  Brahmaputra  Board  in  1980  with  the  objective  of planning and integrated implementation of measures for control of floods and bank erosion in Brahmaputra Valley and matters connected therewith.

Further, CWC issues short-range flood forecasts with lead times of up to 24 hours as well as long term forecast with 7-day Flood Advisory Forecasts, as a non- structural  measure of  flood management to reduce loss of life and ensure proper reservoir operation. CWC maintains 30 level Flood Forecasting Stations in Assam.

(d) NDMA implemented Pilot Scheme namely Aapda Mitra from 2016 to 2021 in 30 most flood prone Districts  of  25  States/UTs , including  Kamrup  and  Jorhat  Districts  of Assam in  order  to  train  6000 community volunteers (200 in each District) in disaster response with a focus on flood . The scheme aimed to provide  the  community  volunteers  with  the  basic  skills  they  would  require  for  responding  to  their community's immediate needs in the aftermath of a disaster including flood.

Based on demand of States/UTs, NDMA is implementing Up-scaling of Aapda Mitra Scheme from 2021-22 to 2024-25 to train 1,00,000 volunteers in disaster response covering 350 Districts , including 3900 volunteers from 16 Districts of Assam, prone to landslide, cyclone, earthquake, and floods to provide them an  Emergency  Responder  Kit  and  to  provide  each  selected  District  an  Emergency  Essential  Resource Reserve  (EERR). Under  this  scheme,  3900  volunteers  from  the  districts  of Assam including Baksa  (200), Barpeta (300), Cachar (300), Darrang (200), Dhubri (300), Dibrugarh (300), Dima Hasao (100), Hailakandi (200),  Karimganj  (300),  Kokrajhar  (200),  Morigaon  (200),  Nagaon  (300),  Nalbari  (200),  Sivasagar  (300), Tinsukia (300), and Udalguri (200) were trained and the EERR had been purchased by Assam.

NDMA has now started Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme from 2024-25 to train 2,37,326 volunteers from NCC, NSS, NYKS, and BS&G (including 9174 from 16 Districts of Assam) in disaster response covering all States (315 Districts) prone to landslide, cyclone, earthquake, and floods to provide them an Emergency Responder Kit.

The  districts  covered  in Assam with  targeted  volunteers  are Baksa  (420),  Barpeta  (700),  Cachar (610), Darrang (460), Dhubri (700), Dibrugarh (750), Dima Hasao (210), Hailakandi (410), Karimganj (800), Kokrajhar  (516),  Morigaon  (500),  Nagaon  (793),  Nalbari  (475),  Sivasagar  (630),  Tinsukia  (750),  and Udalguri (450).

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