Lok Sabha Question No. 875 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-24
Subject: AI for Flood Forecasting and Damage Prediction
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Daggumalla Prasada Rao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 875

## ANSWERED ON 24.07.2025

## AI FOR FLOOD FORECASTING AND DAMAGE PREDICTION

## 875.   SHRI DAGGUMALLA PRASADA RAO

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has any plans to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) in flood forecasting and damage prediction across the country under the Central Water Commission;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c)  whether the Government proposes to develop AI-based systems capable of identifying and predicting potentially affected areas in advance to minimize loss of life and protect livelihoods;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether the Government has allocated specific budgetary provisions for the development of AI models and for the procurement or deployment of supercomputers for the said purpose;

(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(g) whether any mechanism has been established to provide timely alerts to residents of possibly affected areas through early warning systems; and

(h) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) to (d) One of the key initiatives undertaken by Smart Water Resources Modelling Organisation, as the Centre of Excellence (SWRMO-CoE) for Smart Water Resources Management, established under Central Water Commission (CWC) during September 2024, is the in-house development of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/  Machine  Learning  (ML)  based  short-range  flood  forecasting  models  for  Level  Flood  Forecasting Stations (Time Series Forecasting) of CWC across the country.

(e)  &  (f) The  budgetary  provisions for the development of AI models and for the use of computational resources by SWRMO-CoE has been kept under the Development of Water Resources Information System Scheme of Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

(g)  &  (h) CWC  issues  short-range  flood  forecasts  with  a  lead  time  up  to  24  hrs  to  concerned  State Governments at identified locations. CWC also issues inflow forecasts to identified reservoirs  for proper

reservoir  regulation.  Presently,  flood  forecasts  are  issued  by  CWC  at  350  stations  (150  Inflow  Forecast Stations  +  200  Level  Forecast  Stations)  as  per  Standard  Operating  Procedure.  The  network  has  been established in consultation with State Govt./ Project Authorities. These forecasts are disseminated through a dedicated website, namely, https://ffs.india-water.gov.in.

In order to provide more lead time to the local authorities to plan evacuation of people & take other remedial  measures,  CWC  has  developed  basin  wise  flood  forecasting  model  based  on  rainfall-runoff mathematical  modelling  for  7  days  advance  flood  forecast  advisory  for  all  the  forecasting  stations.  Its dissemination is through the dedicated website, namely, https://aff.india-water.gov.in.  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. The flood information is also loaded in various social media platforms viz., Facebook, X, Flood Watch India Mobile App, etc.

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