GUWAHATI: Union Minister for Water Resources Pawan Kumar Bansal on Wednesday said though the Central Government has no role to play in water related issues concerning the states as water is a state subject, it has been acting as a catalyst in ironing out the differences.
Attending the sixth High Powered Review Board Meeting of Brahmaputra Board here, Bansal called for a holistic approach towards integrated development of water resources and management of ground water systems.
The Union Minister regretted that only Rs 3,000 crore out of Rs 8,000 crore allocated in the 11th Plan for flood management has been utlised by the state governments of the region.
He called for expeditious steps towards land acquisition and necessary provisions in the state budget and timely submission of detailed project reports.
Stressing on the need for restructuring and revamping of the Brahmaputra Board, Mr Bansal said, a nodal group has already been constituted by the Ministry of Water Resources to look into all aspects concerning restructuring of the Brahmaputra Board with a wider mandate as a basin level authority.
The Brahmaputra Board has to brace up to the major challenges before it and has to emerge as a vibrant organisation for the benefit of the entire North East region including Sikkim.
Bansal said the problem of erosion in Majuli and Rohmoria has to be dealt in pragmatic ways and on a war footing by the Brahmaputra Board in collaboration with the Water Resources Department of Govt of Assam.
The Union Minister said his department is concerned over the delay regarding the matter relating to NEWRA and had interactions with state governments on constitution of the authority.
“We are interacting with the state governments on setting up of NEWRA and will submit a report to the PMO to enable the Union Government to take a decision on the matter,” he added.
Bansal also pointed out that flood moderation component has been taken care of in the construction of dams in the region. (UNI)
