| Three years later, there is no sign of the report's recommendations being implemented. The report had suggested that at least 2 per cent Plan funds to states should be allowed to be used to maintain embankments. At present, states are not allowed to use Plan funds for maintenance works. They can use non-Plan funds, but this is seldom done, leading to poorly-maintained flood embankments even in flood-prone states like Bihar, Assam and Uttar Pradesh. |
| The water resources ministry's new plan to control floods envisages more money to states for new projects but does not mention maintenance, essential to prevent floods. Ministry sources say use of Plan funds for maintenance can only be allowed by the 12th Finance Commission. |
| Ministry officials say flood management in the country has been reduced to fire-fighting, without any long-term preparedness, thanks to lack of attention to routine maintenance. |
| State governments agree. In Uttar Pradesh, this year, the expenditure on flood control was Rs 350 crore, according to state government officials. This was from Central and Plan funds. The state could spend only Rs 34 crore for maintenance. We need at least Rs 150 crore for routine annual maintenance of embamkments, drainage systems, engineers in the |
| state water resources department say. |
| Assam, another flood-prone state, has spent a meagre Rs 6 crore on maintenance in the previous two years. This year, the state allocated Rs 20 crore from non-Plan funds for maintenance, Baran Baruah, secretary, water resources department said. |
| The Central assistance for maintenance comes as a one-time payment for specific projects. For example, Uttar Pradesh got Rs 51 crore last year for anti-erosion works on Rapti and Rohin rivers. |
| It is a hopeless situation unless the system is changed and the basic issue of maintaining the existing structures is addressed, says SP Agarwal, an expert in the National Disaster Management Authority. |
| Concluded |
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