River Basin Management

The River Basin Management Scheme comprises of 2 main components namely:-

1. Brahmaputra Board (Continued from previous plans)
2. Investigation of Water Resource Development Scheme (Continued from previous plans)
1. CWC component
2. NWDA component

1. Brahamputra Board:

   The Brahmaputra Board has been setup by an Act of Parliament, called the Brahmaputra Board Act, 1980 and it started functioning since 11th January, 1982 for planning and integrated implementation of measures for control of floods and bank erosion in Brahmaputra and Barak Valley and for matters connected therewith. The states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, parts of the states of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura Sikkim and a part of West Bengal falling within the Brahmaputra Basin. It is carrying out following major works-

   1. Survey, Investigation & preparation of Master Plan,
   2. Preparation of DPR of Multipurpose Projects
   3. Drainage Development Schemes
   4. Anti-erosion works including protection of Majuli Island, Balat Village in Meghalaya, Mankachar and Masalabari area in Assam etc from flood and erosion.
   5. Construction of Raised Platforms.
2. Investigation of Water Resources Development Scheme (IWRDS)- (Total -333.75 crores)

   The aim of IWRDS is to plan and develop our water resources projects in a holistic manner. It has two subcomponents-

   1. CWC component –

      The first and basic requirement for a project is to locate a suitable site to establish its techno-economic viability. For establishing techno-economic viability, DPR is prepared after detailed survey and investigations and studies on hydrological, irrigation planning, environment aspects, cropping pattern, crop water requirement etc. List of Projects and details of Works are at Page 8 and Annexure IIA (page 98-100) respectively of EFC memo.

      The river basins will provide hydroelectric and irrigations benefits in North Eastern Region including Sikkim and Jammu & Kashmir. If constructed, the total expected benefits of the projects in terms of addition to Hydropower potential and irrigation potential (CCA) would be 573 MW and 50533 ha respectively.

   2. NWDA Component –

      As per National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Water Resources Development in 1980 envisaging inter basin transfer of water from surplus to deficit basins, National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was set up under the MoWR in 1982 Component. for carrying out various technical studies to establish the feasibility of the proposals of NPP.

Based on the pre-requisite studies e.g. water balances for various sub-basins and diversion points in the country, storage / reservoir studies, toposheet & prefeasibility studies of link canal, NWDA identified 30 links (14 Himalayan and 16 Peninsular) for preparing reports (FRs). The implementation of projects would create an additional irrigation potential of approximately 35 million hectare and generate about 34000 Mega Watts (MW) hydropower, apart from the incidental benefits of flood moderation, navigation, drinking and industrial water supply, fisheries, salinity and pollution control etc

Financial Details of the scheme-

• During the 12th plan, CCEA in its meeting dated 28.02.2014 has approved the RBMS with the total outlay of Rs 975 crores.
• Accordingly, the approval of the scheme was issued by the Ministry on dated 28.04.2014 with the concurrence of IFD and approval of Hon’ble Minister (WR).
• Expenditure of Rs746.77crore has been incurred till 31st March, 2017 which is 76.59% of the 12th plan outlay.
• The proposal for continuation of RBM scheme for the financial year 2017-18 to 2019-20 for an amount of 674 crores has been recommended for approval by Expenditure Finance Committee in its meeting dated 25.10.2017. The expenditure details (both recurring and non recurring) as recommended for approval by EFC is tabulated below-