Centre sanctioned Rs 2,537 crore for 263 flood management projects in Northeast till March 2026

The Centre has provided Rs 2,536.96 crore under the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP) for 263 flood management projects across the Northeastern states, including Sikkim, till March 2026, the Ministry of Jal Shakti informed the Rajya Sabha on August 3.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said flood management and anti-erosion works are primarily undertaken by state governments, while the Centre provides technical guidance and financial assistance through the FMBAP for projects related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development and protection against sea erosion.

The ministry said the Central Water Commission (CWC) currently issues short-range flood forecasts at 360 stations across the country, including 53 stations in the Northeast comprising 15 inflow forecast stations and 38 level forecast stations. It has also developed a basin-wise rainfall-runoff model that provides flood forecast advisories up to seven days in advance to help authorities plan evacuations and disaster response.

According to the ministry, flood forecasts are disseminated through dedicated online platforms, the Flood Watch India mobile application, social media and the Common Alert Protocol (CAP) integrated with State Disaster Management Authorities.

The Centre also stated that hydrological and meteorological data are shared with neighbouring countries to strengthen river basin management and flood forecasting in the Northeast.

To improve long-term flood mitigation, the Ministry of Jal Shakti circulated technical guidelines on Flood Plain Zoning to all states and Union Territories in August 2025, encouraging scientific assessment and regulation of flood-prone areas.

The ministry further informed that the Brahmaputra Board has prepared 52 master plans for the Northeastern states, covering structural and non-structural measures for flood management.

It added that states provide immediate relief to flood-affected people through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), while additional assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is extended for disasters classified as being of a severe nature following assessment by an Inter-Ministerial Central Team.