Centre moots National Floods Management Commission

New Delhi, Aug 30 (UNI) The UPA government has embarked on several ambitious plans, including the setting up of a National Floods Management Commission and the revamping of the Brahamputra Board, to control recurring floods in various parts of the country.

Replying to the marathon debate on floods in the Lok Sabha, Water Resource Minister Saifuddin Soz said but the government has not placed the rivers inter-linking project on the back-burner.

The minister said the proposal on the Floods Management Commission will shortly be sent to the Cabinet and the Planning Commission would provide funds for it which would have four centres in the country.

On revamping of the Brahamputra Board, the minister said its revamping would be done very soon. ''The move would prove a great boon for the North-East region.'' Mr Soz quoted facts and figures to show how the Centre has gone out of way to help Bihar and West Bengal during this year's floods On the members' suggestions for taking up the matter with the neighbouring countries to solve the problem of floods on a permanent basis, the minister said while seven projects were being discussed with Nepal, Secretary-level talks were held just last month with the officials of Bangladesh. ''We are also helping Bhutan in a big way in the regard.'' On China, Mr Soz said the government would hold talks with the Chinese government on September 19-20 as part of the setting up of a joint expert level mechanism to control floods emanating from certain rivers of that country.

Seeking to dismiss the misconception that his government is not undertaking any project as part of the inter-linking of rivers project, the minister said, '' This is not true.'' Certain recommendations of the Task Force constituted in 2004 were being implemented in this regard, he added.

Earlier, Mr Yerren Naidu(TDP) made a strong case for finding a permanent solution to the recurring problem of floods, asserting that if the government came out with a long-term proposal, states would lend full cooperation in this ''national task''.

UNI