Lok Sabha Question No. 1884 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-14
Subject: Flood Management in Cities
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dileshwar Kamait

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1884

## TO BE ANSWERED ON DECEMBER 14, 2023

## FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN CITIES

NO. 1884.

SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT:

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the increasing incidents of city flooding due to heavy rains and inadequate drainage system across the country which is causing considerable inconvenience to the public, damage to property and threats to public health;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the cities most affected by such flooding events during the last five years;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  strategies,  action  plans  or  policies  formulated  by  the Ministry for improving urban drainage infrastructure, flood management and disaster response to prevent such flooding in the future;
- (d) whether  the  Ministry has  plans  to collaborate with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Earth Sciences to develop integrated and sustainable solutions for flood management and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the timeline for the implementation of such strategies and action plans and the budget allocation made towards these initiatives?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE)

(a) & (b): Urban  development  including  urban  planning  being  a  State subject, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) only supplements the efforts of the States and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in these sectors through its  various flagship programs like Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Data pertaining to the causes of frequent flooding is not maintained under AMRUT Mission.

Under AMRUT  Mission, storm water drainage is an admissible component which involves construction and improvement of drains/ storm water drains in order to reduce and eliminate flooding. So far, under Storm Water Drainage Sector, 739 projects worth ₹1,864 crore have been completed and  74  projects  worth  ₹1,135  crore  are  under  implementation  across  19 States/ Union Territories (UTs). This has resulted in elimination of 3,416 water logging  points  and  another  372  water  logging  points  are  in  progress  of elimination.

Further, Under AMRUT 2.0, rejuvenation of water bodies and wells is one of main components. The admissible elements under this include harvesting the  rainwater  through  storm  water  drains  into  water  body  (which  is  not receiving  sewage/  effluent).  So  far,  under  AMRUT  2.0,  2135  water  body rejuvenation projects worth ₹3,802 crore have been approved. Also, under AMRUT 16 water bodies projects were taken up worth ₹76.18 crore, 11 water bodies projects worth ₹70 crore have been completed.

(c): Management  of  urban  flooding  falls  under  purview  of  the  State Governments and the Urban Local Bodies / Urban Development Authorities who  are  responsible  for  maintaining  the  drainage  and  sewerage  system. However, MoHUA has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) on Urban Flooding in 2017 and published manual on Storm Water Drainage Systems, 2019 to assist the States/ Union Territories (UTs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)  and  other  stakeholders  on  the  planning,  design,  operation  and maintenance of Storm water drainage systems and to assist all States/ UTs to  raise  the  level  of  preparedness  in  the  event  of  urban  flooding,  and  for emergency operations including rescue and restoration of services.

Further,  under  scheme  for  special  assistance  to  States  for  capital investment (Part-III Urban Planning Reforms), States are being incentivized to undertake integration of Blue-green infrastructure/ drainage plan with their Master  Plan.  The  North-Eastern/  Hilly  States,  are  being  incentivized  to formulate risk informed master plans so as to map their vulnerable areas and undertake planning in sync with this mapping.

(d) & (e): Under AMRUT, projects have been selected, appraised, approved and  implemented  by  the  concerned  States/  UTs/  ULBs  as  per  their  local conditions/ constraints and the requirement, which may result in reduction of flooding  in  their  area.  States/  UTs  have  mainly  taken  projects  for  new drainage network, rehabilitation & cleaning of existing drainage networks, covering of drains to protect from dumping of garbage, installation of pumps etc. to mitigate urban flooding. AMRUT Mission encourages sharing of good practices being carried out in any AMRUT city with all other Mission cities. Further, States/ UTs/ ULBs are free to adopt any suitable technique/ method based on their local conditions/ requirements.

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