Parliament Question: High financial losses from pluvial flooding

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1835 ANSWERED ON 09/03/2026 HIGH FINANCIAL LOSSES FROM PLUVIAL FLOODING 1835. SHRI S NIRANJAN REDDY: Will the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs be pleased to state: (a) whether Government is aware that annual losses from pluvial (stormwater-related) flooding in the country are around USD 4 billion with potential risk increasing from 3.6 to 7 times by 2070, according to 2025 World Bank Report; (b) whether Government has formulated or proposes to formulate a comprehensive long-term national strategy for pluvial flood risk management, including climate-resilient stormwater drainage, urban planning reforms and protection of vulnerable and informal settlements; and (c) if so, the details and timelines of such a strategy and if not, the reasons for the absence of a long- term plan despite repeated warnings from international and domestic assessments? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU) (a) to (c): In the report titled ‘Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India’ prepared by The World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) published in the year 2025, it is estimated that losses from pluvial (stormwater-related) flooding in the country are around USD 4 billion a year. The report suggests that Climate change and urbanization patterns are the main drivers of stormwater related or pluvial flooding risks. Management of urban flooding 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. Further, 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%20I(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) ..2/--2- v. Manual on Storm Water Drainage System (https://mohua.gov.in/publication/manual-on- storm-water-drainage-systems--2019.php) 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 ₹3017.13 crore were approved. As reported by the States on AMRUT Portal, 820 Storm Water Drainage projects worth ₹2,448.12 crore have been completed. Under AMRUT, 2,522 green spaces and park projects worth ₹1,604.13 crore have been taken up by all States/UTs, of which, 2,502 projects worth ₹1,579.27 crore have been completed. 5,286 acres of permeable green space area have been developed through these projects so far. 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 2,991 water body rejuvenation projects worth ₹6,083.32 crore and 1,665 green spaces and park projects worth ₹1,103.71 crore covering 13,893.82 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, as updated by State/UTs on Amrut portal, 889 sewerage/septage management projects have been grounded, which has led to creation of 22,477 km length of sewer network. Under AMRUT 2.0, the State/UTs have taken up 584 Sewerage and Septage Management projects covering 34,559 KM of sewer network. *****