Parliament Question: Damage to Irrigation Infrastructure due to Floods

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2999 ANSWERED ON 06.08.2026 DAMAGE TO IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE DUE TO FLOODS 2999. Md. RAKIBUL HUSSAIN: Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) whether repeated floods due to Brahmaputra and its tributaries have damaged irrigation infrastructure in Dhubri district and if so, the details thereof; (b) the number of such damaged irrigation structures reported during the last five years; (c) the funds allocated for their repair and restoration; and (d) the steps taken to make such infrastructure flood-resilient? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY) (a) to (d) The data regarding the damages to irrigation infrastructure due to floods are not maintained centrally. Flood management and anti-erosion schemes, including irrigation projects and water resource management are formulated and implemented by the concerned State Governments as per their priorities. 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 through a centrally sponsored "Flood Management and Border Areas Programme" (FMBAP) for works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development among others. Under the FMBAP scheme, the central assistance released to the State of Assam since its inception benefitting various districts, including Dhubri, is Rs.1,629.02 crore. 1Seven flood management projects of Dhubri district in Assam were included under the FMBAP Scheme and central assistance of Rs.35.37 crore has been released. The State Governments undertake assessment of the damages caused by the 12 notified natural calamities, including rain and floods, and provide relief assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at their disposal, as per the approved norms of the Government of India. Additional financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is provided, as per the prescribed procedure, in case of disasters of a ‘severe nature’, which includes an assessment by an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT). Central Water Commission (CWC) issues short-range flood forecasts with a lead time of up to 24 hours at 360 designated flood forecasting stations (159 Inflow Forecast Stations and 201 Level Forecast Stations) as per standard operating procedures. In the Brahmaputra basin and its tributaries, CWC operates 49 dedicated flood forecasting stations, comprising 39 Level Forecast Stations and 10 Inflow Forecast Stations. In Dhubri district, two flood forecasting stations are operational—Dhubri on the Brahmaputra River and Golokganj on the Sankosh River. These stations provide timely flood forecasts and warnings to facilitate preparedness, safeguard irrigation infrastructure, and minimize flood- related damages. ***** 2