The Government has constituted a high-level committee for proper management of water resources in North Eastern Region (NER). The Committee is tasked to facilitate optimising benefits of appropriate water management in form of agriculture, bio-diversity conservation, hydro-electric power, reduced flood damage erosion, inland water transport, forestry, fishery and eco-tourism.
Terms of reference of Committee:
- It will appraise existing institutional arrangements (or mechanisms) for management of water resources of NER.
- It will also identify of gaps in existing institutional arrangements for optimal management of water resources of NER.
- It will suggest policy interventions required for optimally harnessing water resources for accelerating development in NER.
- It will also spell out of actionable measures required for optimizing management of water resources in NER.
- It will chalk out a Plan of Action for dovetailing of schemes and programmes of concerned Union Ministries as well as schemes of respective North-Eastern State Governments.
Why this committee is formed?
- The Brahmaputra (flows through Assam, Arunachal Pradesh) and Barak river (flows through Assam, Manipur and Mizoram) systems in NER which account for one-third of India’s run off are highly prone to floods.
- Brahmaputra is one of largest river systems in world and causes considerable distress and costs on NER through frequent flooding and erosion.
- During review of flood situation with Chief Ministers of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced constitution of High-Level Committee for holistic management of water resources in NER.
- The meeting noted that optimum management of water resources is cross-cutting task which requires multi-sectoral interventions and concerted strategy, including management of catchment areas in upper reaches involving concerned Central Ministries and State Governments.