Guwahati, April 11: The 63rd (Special) meeting of Brahmaputra Board was held at the Brahmaputra Board HQ, Guwahati on 11thApril, 2017 to discuss the proposal to restructure Brahmaputra Board. Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR, Government of India proposes to restructure Brahmaputra Board within the ambit of Brahmaputra Board Act, 1980 by revamping its technical and non-technical cadres.
The key elements of this proposal are creating Regional Directorates of Brahmaputra Board in all 8(eight) NE States and North Bengal. To enlarge its footprint, it is proposed that the Regional Directorates of Brahmaputra Board in North Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh will be headed by Deputy Chief Engineers, while those Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Sikkim will be headed by Superintending Engineers. The structure is being converted into a proper pyramid. As the present structure is from JE to AE, AE to AEE, AEE to EE, EE to SE, SE to Deputy Chief Engineer, equivalent implementation has been paid in planning and execution of all works. Due to in consistencies in the Recruitment Rules of Chief Engineer-I and Chief Engineer-II, it was getting difficult to appoint officers in these positions. The same has been rectified by amending the Recruitment Rules.
Recently, proposals for Flood and Anti-erosion works worth Rs. 237 Cr. have been approved by Government of India out of which Rs. 207.00 crore will be provided by Ministry of DoNER, Government of India. The works have been assigned to Brahmaputra Board who is taking up the same in right earnest. Brahmaputra Board will establish a permanent office Complex with Godown and Skill Development Centre at Majuli. There were important suggestions by States for monitoring of the works carried out by Brahmaputra Board. The same were accepted by the Board. There was a suggestion from Government of West Bengal and Sikkim who are Invitees at present, that they should be included as Permanent Member-States of the Brahmaputra Board for future meetings.
The representative of Government of Assam informed that State Government has decided that entire south bank of Majuli Main Island will be undertaken by Brahmaputra Board for Flood and Anti-erosion works. The meeting was held in an amicable atmosphere and all the decisions were taken up by consensus. A suggestion for having separate Regional Directorate at Jalpaiguri in North Bengal, additional posts of Superintending Engineer at Silchar and Executive Engineer at Dhubri District was also accepted by the Board. These suggestions came from Government of West Bengal and Assam, respectively. All the 9(nine) States vehemently welcomed these suggestions to achieve the overall objective of restructuring of Brahmaputra Board and making it operationally, administratively and structurally robust. They are hopeful that the new structurally competent Brahmaputra Board will be able to take up the challenges in water resources sector faced by NE Region and parts of Brahmaputra basin in West Bengal.
Shri R.P. Das, Secretary, Water Resources Deptt, Government of Assam; Shri Naveen Prakash, Principal Secretary, Irrigation & Waterways, Government of West Bengal; Shri B. Kharbuli, Secretary, PWD, Government of Meghalaya; Shri K.D. Phawa, Chief Engineer (WRD), Meghalaya; Ksh. Pitam Singh, Chief Engineer, I&FCD, Manipur; Shri K. Sema, Chief Engineer, I &FCD, Nagaland; Shri Somesh Ch. Das, Chief Engineer, PWD (WR), Tripura; Shri Lalmuankima Henry, Chief Engineer, PWD (Building), Mizoram and other state dignitaries were present in the meeting.
Shri T.S. Mehra, Commissioner (B&B), Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR; Shri M.S. Dhillon, Chief Engineer (FM), Central Water Commission, Government of India and Dr. Sanjay Oneil Shaw, DDGM, RMC, Guwahati also participated in the meeting.
Source: PIB
