Assam seeks technology-driven solutions for flood preparedness: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, September 25, said the state was looking for technology-driven solutions to strengthen flood preparedness, particularly after the recent floods caused significant loss of lives and property.

Speaking at the launch of the North-East Seva First Innovation Challenge (NESFIC) in Guwahati, Sarma said better flood preparedness was a priority and expressed hope that young innovators would develop practical solutions to address the problem.

The Science and Technology Department has included challenges involving satellites, drones and artificial intelligence for crop-health monitoring, wetland mapping, detection of encroachment on government land, flood management and early-warning systems.

Sarma said even a few additional hours of advance warning could help district administrations protect lives, homes and livelihoods during floods.

“We have seen recent floods in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts... Perhaps, had we received a warning five or six hours earlier, several lives and properties could have been saved,” he said.

The NESFIC, described as a platform for young innovators from the Northeast, seeks to connect real-world challenges faced by governments and industries with technology-based solutions. The 2026 challenge opened for applications on September 25.

Sarma said the initiative was not aimed at innovation merely for creating something new but at understanding problems faced by people, government institutions and industries and developing solutions that could be implemented on the ground.

The challenge includes areas such as agriculture, climate and sustainability, healthcare, mobility, tourism and digital technologies.