Centre Expands River Basin Management Scheme with ₹2,183 Crore Outlay for 2026–31

The Union government has decided to continue the River Basin Management, or RBM, Scheme during the 2026–27 to 2030–31 period with an estimated outlay of ₹2,183 crore, signalling a stronger push for basin-level water planning in some of India’s most strategically important river systems. The Ministry of Jal Shakti said the centrally funded scheme is designed to support integrated planning, investigation and development of both surface and groundwater resources, with a special focus on major basins such as the Brahmaputra, Barak, Teesta and Indus.

Unlike narrower project-led interventions, the RBM framework looks at rivers as connected hydrological systems and aims to improve flood control, erosion management, irrigation planning, hydropower readiness and long-term water security through coordinated basin studies and project preparation. The scheme is being implemented through three key institutions — the Brahmaputra Board, the Central Water Commission and the National Water Development Agency — combining flood and erosion control in vulnerable regions with technical work such as basin master plans, surveys, feasibility studies and detailed project reports for future multipurpose projects.

A major share of the scheme’s strategic weight falls on the North East and the Himalayan frontier regions, where terrain, climate stress, cross-border river systems and infrastructure gaps make water planning particularly complex. The government said the scheme prioritises regions such as the North Eastern states, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, while also addressing capacity constraints in states including Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. In these areas, the scheme is expected to support future investments in irrigation, flood moderation, drainage improvement and hydropower-linked planning.

The Centre is also highlighting the scheme’s record in areas already under execution. According to the PIB note, the 2021–26 phase saw basin planning work in the Brahmaputra and Barak systems, preparation of DPRs in the Brahmaputra, Barak, Teesta and Indus basins, and progress under the interlinking-of-rivers programme, including pre-feasibility reports for 30 river links, feasibility reports for 26 projects and DPRs for 15 link projects. On the ground, flood and erosion control works in Assam’s Majuli area have become one of the best-known examples of long-duration intervention under the broader framework. The Brahmaputra Board says its Majuli protection works reclaimed 22.08 sq km of land from 2004 to 2016, with a more recent study cited by the Board indicating 27.35 sq km reclaimed between 2000 and 2023.

Another important shift is the increasing use of modern survey and planning technologies. The government said GIS, remote sensing, LiDAR, drone-based surveys and advanced hydrological modelling are being used to improve planning accuracy and strengthen future DPR preparation. That matters because the success of river governance increasingly depends on how well India can anticipate flood risks, erosion patterns, storage opportunities and ecological pressures before projects move into execution. In effect, the RBM Scheme is emerging as a planning backbone for future water infrastructure rather than just a funding window for isolated works.

Reference:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2252895&reg=3&lang=1
https://brahmaputraboard.gov.in/activities/execution-o-flood-n-erosion-control-schemes
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2244013&reg=3&lang=1