Rs 649 cr allocated for flood management during 2008-09

New Delhi, Jul 21 (UNI) New flood management schemes will be considered at the second meeting of the empowered committee of the Water Resources ministry being held to consider eligible proposals received from the states.

The Centre has allocated Rs 649 crore for ''Flood Management Programme'' during 2008-09 Already, Central assistance totalling Rs 133.46 crore has been released to the states towards these schemes during 2008-09 against Rs 107.82 crore (including release for spilled over works of the 10th Plan) during 2007-08.

During the last financial year, the empowered committee approved 239 flood control/river management schemes of 12 states at an estimated cost of Rs 1,307 crore.

The ''flood management programme'', a state sector scheme amounting to Rs 8,000 crore under the Central Plan, has been approved in principle to provide central assistance to the state governments during the 11th plan period (2007-2012).

Proposals for river management, flood control, anti-erosion works, drainage development, flood proofing, flood prone area development programme and restoration of damaged flood management works which have secured all mandatory clearances would be considered for funding under this scheme.

The inter-se priority of the flood management, anti-erosion, sea erosion, drainage development, flood proofing works are decided by a committee headed by Secretary (Expenditure), depending upon the critical/emergent situation and the availability of annual budget/plan outlay.

No specific share of a particular state is defined under the scheme. Central assistance is being provided to the state government on the following funding pattern: Special category states including the North Eastern states, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand are allocated 90 per cent Central share and 10 per cent state share.

For non-special category states, 75 per cent Central share and 25 per cent state share. For restoration of damaged works, the central assistance would be provided on a 90:10 ratio.

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