Centre convenes meet on NEWRA

Guwahati, May 26 (UNI) The Centre has called for a high-level meeting on June 8 to discuss creation of North East Water Resources Authority (NEWRA), official sources said today.

As per the Prime Minister's announcements and recommendations of the Task Force, inter-ministerial consultations and discussions were held with the state governments for setting up of NEWRA, also known as Brahmaputra Valley Authority.

The meeting would be attended by representatives of the Union Water Resources Ministry, Planning Commission along with those of Asom and Arunachal Pradesh governments.

Sources said Arunachal Pradesh is yet to give its consent in this regard.

The NEWRA, which would succeed the existing Brahmaputra Board, would look into the matters of effective flood control, generating electricity, irrigation facilities and develop infrastructure in the NE, sources said.

The NEWRA is expected to be given a managerial and financial autonomy, equipped with top class manpower and backed by Parliamentary sanction.

The meeting is also likely to take up recent projects like the hydroelectric dam projects, in the NE along with the repercussions and apprehensions expressed over them.

UNI