River Basin Management Scheme 2026-31: ₹2,183 Crore Outlay
Why in the news
The Centre cleared another five-year phase of the River Basin Management (RBM) Scheme with a much bigger budget, signalling a switch from isolated water projects to whole-basin planning.
Key facts
- Period: 2026-27 to 2030-31.
- Outlay: ₹2,183 crore, compared with ₹1,276 crore before.
- Approach: basin-level; priority to the Indus Basin and North Eastern Region, vital for border-state water security and water diplomacy.
- Flood work includes protecting Majuli Island, the world’s largest river island, from Brahmaputra erosion.
- Technology: LiDAR and drone surveys for high-resolution maps used in flood forecasting and irrigation planning.
| River-link pipeline (NWDA) | Number |
|---|---|
| Projects identified | 30 |
| Feasibility Reports ready | 26 |
| Detailed Project Reports ready | 15 |
Background
- Basin-level approach: the whole area drained by a river and tributaries is one system, so upstream actions such as dams are weighed against downstream effects like siltation.
- Springshed management: protecting recharge areas of natural springs in hilly regions so they do not dry up, giving lean-season water to mountain and tribal communities.
- Interlinking of Rivers (ILR): moving water from surplus basins (North, East) to deficit ones (South, West) through canals and reservoirs.
Concerns
- Inter-state disputes (Cauvery, Krishna) slow transfers.
- Data deficit: poor real-time monitoring caused runoff deficits.
- Large dams and canals threaten river ecosystems, such as the Ganges River Dolphin.
Exam angle
- Agency for ILR: National Water Development Agency under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- Related terms: springshed, LiDAR, basin approach, Majuli.