Union Water Resources and River Development Minister Uma Bharati today said the anti-erosion and flood management pattern in Assam will be changed to benefit people of the state.
Addressing the Assam Water Conference-2015 here, Bharati said proper use of Assam's abundant water resources would bring in development to the North East state.
On the functioning of the Brahmaputra Board, she said it would be restructured to undertake development of the master plan for the Brahmaputra Basin, so that its benefits reach the people.
The Brahmaputra Board, an autonomous statutory body set up under an Act of Parliament in 1980 with its jurisdiction over both the Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys of Assam, covers all North East states, Sikkim and parts of West Bengal which fall under the Brahmaputra basin.
Referring to the world's largest fresh water island situated in Assam, the Union Minister said all should work to make the Majuli Island a premier tourist destination together with efforts of getting it included in the UNESCO World Heritage site list.
On the blooper in BJP's Vision Document for Delhi elections where the people of North East region in the national capital were termed as "immigrants" and "migrant" sparking protests in Assam, Bharati said "We will apologise not once, but a thousand times. The people of the North East are very close to the central government."
Stating that Prime minister Narendra Modi was concerned about the development of the NE region, Union DoNER Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said his ministry would have camp secretariats in the states to solve the issues locally.
Inaugurating the conference, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said he wants the Central government to take the erosion issue in Assam seriously.
Management of water was a priority sector for the state in view of recurring erosion and flood problems, Gogoi added.
