Parliament Question: Lives lost in flood

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4033 ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026 LIVES LOST IN FLOOD 4033 Smt. RAJANI ASHOKRAO PATIL: Will the Minister of Jal Shakti be pleased to state: (a) the details of lives lost in flood during the last five years, year-wise; (b) the details of relief funds provided for these flood-prone areas; (c) the details of long-term plans to curb these annual floods; and (d) if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY) (a) & (b) The data regarding number of lives lost in flood is not maintained centrally. The primary responsibility for disaster management, including assessment of damages on ground level, rests with the State Governments concerned. The State Governments undertake relief measures in the wake of natural calamities, from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at their disposal, in accordance with Government of India approved items and norms. The Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments and provides requisite logistics and financial support. Additional financial assistance is provided from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as per laid down procedure, in case of disaster of 'severe nature', which includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT). The details of funds allocated and released under SDRF and NDRF is available on website www.ndmindia.mha.gov.in. (c) & (d) 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 approach for flood management aims at adopting judicious mix of structural and non- structural measures to provide a reasonable degree of protection against flood damages at economic cost. Union Government is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme "Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)" for providing central assistance to States for works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, anti-sea erosion, etc. during 2021-26. Total central 1assistance amounting to Rs. 8818.66 crore has been released since its inception to various States/UTs upto March 2025. Central Water Commission (CWC) maintains a network of 350 flood forecasting stations (150 Inflow Forecast Stations + 200 Level Forecast Stations) at identified locations in consultation with State Governments/Project Authorities. 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 in addition to short-range forecast having response time upto 24 hours. Ministry of Jal Shakti has continuously impressed upon the States the need to adopt flood plain zoning approach as a non-structural measure of flood management in the country. In order to enable States to undertake scientific assessment of flood plains and its zoning as a non-structural measure of flood mitigation, a technical guideline on Flood Plain Zoning have been prepared and circulated to the States/UTs in August, 2025 by Ministry of Jal Shakti. ***** 2