Erosion of coastlines As per data base compiled by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) in the year of 2005, around 23% of the Indian coastline is affected by varying degrees of erosion. A Shoreline Change Atlas of the Indian Coast prepared by the Space Application Centre (SAC), Ahmadabad in association with the Central Water Commission in May, 2014, indicates that around 45% of the total coastline is under erosion, around 35.7% of coastline is under accretion and rest (18.79%) is under stable category. During the last decade, following steps have been taken to check the extent of coastal erosion:- i) In the year 1995, this Ministry constituted a Coastal Protection Development & Advisory Committee (CPDAC) for organising, coordinating programme of collection, compilation, evaluation and publication of data relating to various natural phenomenon in coastal processes, which affect the coastal line, identification of coastal zones and draw up short and long term plans for coastal protection. The CPDAC had met 14 times so far. ii) During the X Plan (2002-07), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, Critical anti-erosion works in coastal and other than Ganga basin States" was approved by Government of India under which the anti-sea erosion works for the States of Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and UT of Puducherry were included and Central Assistance amounting to Rs. 13.17 crore was released to the states/UTs for anti-sea erosion works. iii) During the XI Plan (2007-12), the Government of India launched a Flood Management Programme (FMP) for providing central assistance to the State Governments for taking up flood management works including anti-sea erosion works. Under this scheme, central assistance was released to Government of Gujarat for construction of sea-walls/coastal protection works. iv) In addition, the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Resources initiated the process of collecting details of severely affected reaches to explore the possibility of preparing a National Coastal Protection Project (NCPP) for taking up the same for external assistance. A loan amounting to 250 Million USD for Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management Investment Programme (SCP&MIP) was approved by ADB in Oct, 2010. Currently, Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management Investment Programme (SCP&MIP)-Tranche-1 is on-going in the States of Karnataka and Maharashtra at an estimated cost of 62.7 Million USD including ADB loan of 51.56 Million USD. Planning and execution of the anti-sea erosion measures are undertaken by the maritime States/UTs as per their own priority. The union government supports the efforts of states by providing technical advice and promotional financial assistance for critical projects. The Flood Management Programme launched by the Ministry has provision for anti sea erosion/coastal protection works and the funding pattern under this programme is 50(centre) :50 (states) for General Category States. This information was given by Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Prof. Sanwar Lal Jat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today. Samir/jk
