Parliament Question: Central Government assistance for urban flood management

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 238 ANSWERED ON 02/02/2026 CENTRAL GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE FOR URBAN FLOOD MANAGEMENT

238. DR. FAUZIA KHAN:

Will the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government is considering to adopt Model Master plans to prevent and mitigate rising cases of urban flooding across the country;

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

(c) whether there are specific guidelines on non-structural measures exists that can assist States in management of urban floods;

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

(e) whether the Central Government is providing any particular assistance to States with respect to the issue through its State Support Mission; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and, if not the reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)

(a) to (f): Urban Flood Management falls under the purview of the State Governments and the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)/ Urban Development Authorities, who are responsible for maintaining the drainage and sewerage system. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States through schematic interventions/ advisories. It provides financial and technical support to the States to strengthen Urban Planning ecosystem.

Usually, increased incidence of high intensity rainfall in short duration is mainly responsible for urban floods, which is further compounded by unplanned growth, encroachment of natural water bodies, inadequate sewer systems, inadequate rainwater drainage systems, encroachments, etc.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs does not centrally maintain the details of the incidents of urban floods in cities/ towns.

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has published the following documents/advisory guidelines for improving urban drainage and flood management: i. Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014 (https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/URDPFI%20Guidelines%20Vol%201(2).pdf) ii. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Urban Flooding (https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/SOP%20Urban%20flooding 5%20May%202017.pdf) iii. River Centric Urban Planning Guidelines in 2021 to enable cities in the development of conjunctive water management approaches including nature-based solution (https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/RCUP%20Guidelines.pdf) iv. Guidance Document on Creation of Rain Water Harvesting Parks (https://mohua.gov.in/pdf/6566e1048ab41guidance-document-on-rainwater-harvesting-parks- final.pdf) V. Manual on Storm Water Drainage System (https://mohua.gov.in/publication/manual-on-storm- water-drainage-systems--2019.php) …2/--2- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) launched in the year 2015, inter alia, has a component on storm water drainage, which involved construction and improvement of drains/storm water drains in order to reduce and eliminate flooding and creating green spaces and parks. Under AMRUT, 838 Storm Water Drainage projects worth ₹3016.82 crore were approved. As reported by the States on AMRUT Portal, 813 Storm Water Drainage projects worth ₹2,403.35 crore have been completed. Under AMRUT, 2,529 green spaces and park projects worth ₹1,606.31 crore have been taken up by all States/UTs, of which, 2,489 projects worth ₹1,571.86 crore have been completed. 5,271 acres of permeable green space area have been developed through these projects.

Under AMRUT 2.0, projects for green spaces and parks and rejuvenation of water bodies and wells can be taken up by the States. Under AMRUT 2.0, proposals of the States/UTs for 3,031 water body rejuvenation projects worth ₹6,270.51 crore and 1,669 green spaces and park projects worth ₹1,089.31 crore covering 13,707.64 acre, have been approved.

Besides, under AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0 sewerage and septage management projects have been undertaken, which inter alia help in evacuation of storm water. Under AMRUT, 890 sewerage/septage management projects have been grounded, which has led to creation of 21,754 km length of sewer network. Under AMRUT 2.0 so far, 588 Sewerage and Septage Management projects have been approved covering 35,801 KM of sewer network.

MoHUA is also supporting the States/ UTs in formulation of Geographic Information System

(GIS) based Master Plan in AMRUT Cities and Class-II towns with the population 50,000 - 99,999.

Under this Sub-scheme, the geo database is created through Very High-Resolution Satellite Image or Drone Technology as per Design & Standards documents published by MoHUA. The State Government can use the geo-spatial data to restore natural drainage corridors and for urban planning to prevent urban floods.

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