Lok Sabha Question No. 549 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Floods in West Bengal
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Khalilur Rahaman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 549

## ANSWERED ON 25.07.2024

## FLOODS IN WEST BENGAL

## 549. SHRI KHALILUR RAHAMAN

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  State  of  West  Bengal  suffers  from  severe  flood  and erosion every year particularly in the district of Murshidabad;

(b)  if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  so  far  to  control  erosion  caused  by  river  Ganga  in Murshidabad district which is responsible for loss of life, property, live stocks every year;

(c) whether the Government is contemplating use of latest engineering techniques to control erosion and if so, the details thereof;

(d)  whether  the  Government  ever  estimated  the  area  of  land  lost  to  Ganga  due  to  erosion  in  West Bengal particularly Murshidabad; and

(e) the details of funds sanctioned, allocated and spent to control erosion of river Ganga in West Bengal during the last five years?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) to (c) The  country  faces  the  problem of  flood and  erosion in varying degrees in different parts including the state of West Bengal. Erosion, movement and deposition of sediment in river are natural regulating functions of a river. Rivers tend to maintain a balance between the silt load carried & silt load deposited, maintaining a river regime. Soil erosion caused by heavy floods is a matter of concern as it leads to several associated problems like changes in river course, causing loss of land, etc.

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.

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. There are two (2) completed and one (1) ongoing FMP projects benefiting Murshidabad district in West Bengal, which is detailed in Annexure .

Farakka  Barrage  Project  situated  in  Murshidabad  district,  a  subordinate  organization  under Department  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation,  undertakes  river  bank protection  works  in  its  jurisdiction,  as  per  the  recommendation  of  Technical  Advisory  Committee  of Farakka Barrage Project, in critical reaches for the safety and security of the barrage and its appurtenant structures.  During  last  five  years,  an  expenditure  of  Rs  44.20  Crores  has  been  incurred  by  Farakka Barrage Project for implementing such works.

As per the request of State Government of West Bengal, a Committee comprising members from the  State  Government  of  West  Bengal  and  concerned  Central  Government  Departments,  under  the chairmanship  of  Chairman,  Central  Water  Commission,  has  been  constituted  by  the  Department  of Water  Resources,  River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation  to  undertake  a  joint  detailed  technical study for an integrated plan to combat the threat of erosion posed by Ganga-Padma river in the District of Malda, Murshidabad & Nadia in West Bengal.

For  Non-structural  measures,  Central  Water  Commission  (CWC)  is  the  nodal  Organisation entrusted with the task of flood forecasting & early flood warnings in the country. CWC has one flood forecasting  station  in  Murshidabad  district  on  river  Ganga.  In  order  to  provide  more  lead  time  to  the local authorities to plan evacuation of people and take other remedial measures, CWC has developed seven days advanced advisory using latest technology like remote sensing and mathematical modelling.

The Government is contemplating use of latest engineering technologies to control erosion like use of geo bags, geo tube and bio engineering measures.

(d) CWC has carried out a morphological study of Ganga river using Remote Sensing Techniques for the period 1970 - 2010, through IIT Roorkee indicating erosion of 4289.32 hectares and deposition of 724 hectares in a reach of 50 km in the upstream of Farakka Barrage in Murshidabad District.

(e) From  the  State  of  West  Bengal,  18  projects  were  included  for  central  assistance  under  FMP component of ongoing Flood Management and Border Area Programme (FMBAP) of Ministry of Jal Shakti. Total 16 completed projects have given protection to an area of around 1.03 Lakh hectares and protected a population of about 2.49 million. Central assistance amounting to the tune of Rs. 1051.96 Crore  has  been  released  to  the  State  of  West  Bengal  under  FMP.  During  last  five  years,  Central Assistance of Rs 161.35 Crores has been released to the State of West Bengal under FMP component of FMBAP scheme.

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  549  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  25.07.2024  REGARDING  'FLOODS  IN WEST BENGAL'.

## FMP Project Status of Murshidabad district

|   S.N. | Name of the Project                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | River/ Tributary   |   Estimated Cost CA |   released | Project Status   |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|---------------------|------------|------------------|
|      1 | Bank protection works along both banks of the river Bhagirathi at Sundarpur &Basantpur, Kazipara to Nabagram &Saharbati to Uttarasan outfall in the district Murshidabad &at Sanyalchar in the district Nadia, West Bengal- (WB-14) | Bhagirathi         |               23.66 |     14.2   | Completed        |
|      2 | Bank protection works along the right bank of river Ganga-Padma at Ichalipara, Moya, Galadarya, Paschim Beechpara (Bamnapad) in district Murshidabad and Bousmari in district Nadia, West Bengal -(WB-15)                           | Ganga- Padma       |               28.13 |     19.095 | Completed        |
|      3 | Improvement of embankment and ancillary works in Kandi and other adjoining areas of district of Murshidabad-(WB-18)                                                                                                                 | Kandi              |              438.94 |    126.07  | Ongoing          |

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Amount (in Rs. Crore)