Guwahati, Oct 17: The 86th Meeting of the Brahmaputra Board, held in Aizawl under the chairmanship of Dr. Ranbir Singh, marked a major step toward integrated water resource management in the Brahmaputra and Barak basins, following its recent reconstitution by the central government.
The reconstituted Board, notified on September 15, 2025, now includes Sikkim and West Bengal among the basin states and has upgraded membership to the level of Secretary (Water Resources) for all nine basin states, a move expected to strengthen interstate coordination and decision-making.
During the meeting, the Board approved a series of crucial project proposals aimed at improving watershed management, flood mitigation, and water conservation across the Northeast. These include:
1. LiDAR survey of the Umgot watershed in Meghalaya to enhance hydrological mapping;
2. Study of Sugar Mill Nallah in Dimapur, Nagaland, for basin planning and drainage improvement;
3. DPR preparation for a rainwater harvesting dam at Kolasib, Mizoram;
4. Springshed development in Kamjong District, Manipur; and
5. Preliminary report preparation for springshed management in seven clusters across Arunachal Pradesh.
The Board also approved the Revised Estimate of ₹148 crore for FY 2025–26 and the Budget Estimate of ₹225 crore for FY 2026–27.
A major highlight was the approval of a three-year plan to revamp NEHARI, an institute under the Brahmaputra Board, into a centre of excellence for research, capacity building, and consultancy in water resource management. The initiative aims to equip NEHARI with state-of-the-art facilities for material testing, knowledge sharing, and technical training.
Dr. Singh underscored the need for institutional strengthening, digital transformation, and specialized capacity building, urging state governments to actively nominate officers for training under NEHARI.
He emphasized that the inclusion of all nine basin states in the reconstituted Board would “foster greater coordination and cooperation for holistic basin management.”
The State of Manipur has volunteered to host the 87th Meeting of the Brahmaputra Board in Imphal.
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