**Executive Summary**
This document addresses the impact of repeated flood disasters in Assam and neighboring states (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal). It highlights flood management efforts by both state and union governments, including structural and non-structural measures. The Ministry released ₹7260.50Cr under the FMP component to various states up to March 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Flood Impact:**
* Assam is affected by floods annually, compounded by embankment breaches, encroachments, deforestation, and poor drainage.
* Aggregated flood-affected areas: Assam (2.477 Mha), Bihar (2.914 Mha), Uttar Pradesh (5.174 Mha), and West Bengal (1.840 Mha) based on 1986-2022 satellite data.
* Assam reported 421 embankment breaches since 2011, with 126 breaches closed during the 2019-2024 monsoon season.
* **Flood Management Measures:**
* Flood management is under the purview of State Governments, with the Union Government providing support.
* Integrated flood management adopts structural and non-structural measures.
* The Flood Management Programme (FMP) under XI & XII plan for providing Central Assistance to States for works related to river management, flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, anti-sea erosion, etc.
* FMP continued as part of "Flood Management and Border Areas Programme" (FMBAP) for 2017-2021 and extended to 2021-2026.
* Central Water Commission (CWC) issues short-range flood forecasts (up to 24 hrs) and inflow forecasts for reservoirs.
* CWC issues flood forecasts at 350 stations, disseminating them through a dedicated website.
* Basin-wise flood forecasting model for 7-day advance flood forecasts.
* CWC flood forecasts are integrated with the Common Alert Protocol (CAP) for State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA).
* Technical guidelines on Flood Plain Zoning have been finalized by the Ministry and circulated to States.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: State Governments (Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for flood management and erosion control.
* **Action Required:** Implement flood management and anti-erosion schemes, and utilize the Flood Plain Zoning guidelines to undertake scientific assessment of flood plains.
**Stakeholder: Central Water Commission (CWC)**
* **Impact:** Provides flood forecasts and technical expertise.
* **Action Required:** Continue issuing short-range flood forecasts and inflow forecasts, and maintain the flood forecasting website.
**Stakeholder: State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA)**
* **Impact:** Receives flood forecasts and warnings.
* **Action Required:** Integrate CWC flood forecasts with the Common Alert Protocol (CAP) for dissemination.
Key Entities Referenced
Central Water Commission (CWC): Issues flood forecasts and developed basin wise flood forecasting model for flood advisory.
Flood Management Programme (FMP): Programme implemented by Ministry to provide Central Assistance to States for river management, flood control, anti-erosion.
Assam: State significantly impacted by repeated floods, and the primary location discussed in the document.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: Ministry that implemented the Flood Management Programme and finalized technical guidelines on Flood Plain Zoning.
Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP): Component continued from Flood Management Programme for river management, flood control, anti-erosion.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
IMPACT OF REPEATED FLOOD DISASTERS IN
ASSAM
प्रव तथ: 04 DEC 2025 6:14PM by PIB Delhi
Assam is affected by floods every year in varying degrees. The problem is compounded due to
embankment breaches, encroachments, deforestation and poor drainage. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West
Bengal also face the similar problems in varying degrees.
As per the report of Central Water Commission on 'Assessment of Area Affected due to Floods in India
(2024)' based on the satellite images (1986-2022), the aggregated extent of flood affected areas in the state
of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are 2.477 Million Hectare (Mha), 2.914 Mha, 5.174 Mha
and 1.840 Mha respectively.
Flood management, including erosion control falls within the purview of the States and the data regarding
number of embankment failures and breaches is not maintained centrally. Government of Assam has
informed that since 2011, a total of 421 nos. of breach have been recorded in different districts all over
Assam. During monsoon season 2019 to 2024, a total of 126 no. of breaches have occurred which have
been closed immediately. Government of Uttar Pradesh has informed that there is no breach of
embankment in current monsoon.
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. Integrated flood management approach aims at adopting judicious mix of structural and non-
structural measures to provide a reasonable degree of protection against flood damages at economic cost.
To strengthen the structural measures of flood management, Ministry had implemented during XI & XII
Plan Flood Management Programme (FMP) for providing Central Assistance to States for works related to
river management, 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 2017-21 and further extended during 2021-2026 with limited outlay. Total Central
assistance amounting to Rs 7260.50Cr. has been released under FMP component to various states up to
March 2025.
As a non-structural measure of flood management, Central Water Commission (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 forecastingstations. Its dissemination is through the dedicated website, namely https://aff.india-water.gov.in. CWC
flood forecasting service 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.
Flood Plain Zoning including watershed management and wetland restoration area is effective method of
flood moderation with the potential of floodwater storage and crucial ecosystem restoration. Flood plain
zones envisage delineating the areas as per the return period of flooding including classification of land
for different uses intended to safeguard the health, safety and property of the general public. In order to
enable States to undertake scientific assessment of flood plains and its zoning, a technical guideline on
Flood Plain Zoning has been finalised by Ministry and circulated to States for implementation.
The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ
BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
***
ND
(Lok Sabha US Q833)
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2198932) आगंतुक पटल : 266
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