Question : EROSION ALONG RIVER BANKS

(a) whether the land erosion along the banks of various rivers has affected a number of villages and displaced large number of people in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has formulated any policy for rehabilitation of displaced families either from floods or due to construction of dams/reservoirs;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the number of proposals for rehabilitation of dam oustees and flood affected families received from various State Governments alongwith the funds allocated for the same so far, State-wise?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI VINCENT H. PALA)

(a) & (b): Yes Sir, the States specially lying in Ganga, Brahmaputra and Mahanadi basins are affected by severe erosion along the banks of rivers. The States of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are predominant affected States in the Ganga basin, Assam and northern part of West Bengal in the Brahmaputra basin and Orissa in the Mahanadi basin. Water being a State subject, the details of villages affected and people displaced by river erosion are maintained by respective State Governments.

(c) & (d): ‘National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy-2007 (NRRP)’ for rehabilitation of project affected people has been formulated by the Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Land Resources), Government of India. The salient features of NRRP are given at Annexure – I. No specific Policy has been formulated for rehabilitation of families displaced due to floods.

(e): The rehabilitation of dam oustees and flood affected families comes under the purview of the respective State Governments. Provision on account of rehabilitation and resettlement of project affected people due to construction of dams are included in the cost of such dam projects itself. No separate funds are allocated for this purpose by the Government.