SHILLONG, FEB 11: Union minister of water resources Uma Bharti formally announced the ‘revamping’ of the ‘Brahmaputra Board’ even as she directed the newly formed committee to submit their suggestions on the new name and shape of the board, which will represent the sentiments of the entire north east region.
“Today is the last day of the Brahmaputra board because from tomorrow the new process will start. Within few months from now, the new name and new life will start and which will be more effective, more sensitive and in a fast tracks mode which will meet the need of the people of the NE region,” Bharti said in Shillong.
Bharti said, “The Board will again be reborn as a new child and add new shapes to the old schemes.” Addressing a meeting with members of the High Powered Review Board of Brahmaputra Board attended by water resources ministers of all north eastern states in Shillong on Wednesday, she informed that this is the eighth meeting of the board.
Bharti also said this meeting is historical because previously the board meetings were held either held in Delhi or in Guwahati but this time the union government decided to hold in Shillong after an invitation by the Meghalaya chief minister to hold the meeting in Shillong.
Bharti was flanked by the union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju and Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma and deputy chief minister in charge of water resources Rowel Lyngdoh during the meeting.
Bharti further informed that the unuon government also decided to form a committee which will have representatives from the all the states of the north east.
“This committee will provide the centre with suggestions on what new shape this board should take but one thing should be kept in mind that it should represent the sentiments of the entire North East region,” Bharti said adding “It should be very effective, its schemes should be fast track and how that can be done is with the coordination of the states which we will have to plan accordingly.”
According to Bharti, the centre is open for ideas to make it (Board) more effective and make it more people friendly and sensitive to the needs of the people of the north east.
Stating that she is aware of the problem faced by the NE region pertaining to floods and erosions, Bharti said, “That is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave directions to all ministers to visit the NE, I had already plan to pay a visit to the region as I wanted to visit early to the NE states and sort out their problems.”
Bharti said that she is also trying to change her ministry so that it is visible where things are wrong so that it can be corrected. Stating that the next third World War will be fought over water, she however said, “But I decided to say ‘No’. I said water should not be the reason for the dispute but rivers should be the reason for strengthening of friendship.”
Bharti informed that there are certain projects which the union government wants to take on fast track mode while referring to the problems related to floods and erosions. “There are different projects, some have uniformity, some are state specific and any projects with which other ministries agrees, we will try to push them on fast tracks,” she assured.
Bharti also requested all the ministers of the NE states to direct their officers to read the schemes of the ministry properly. “I want schemes for the NE to deal with floods and erosions and the development to be put on fast track,” she said.
Emphasizing on the important of irrigation, Bharti also urged the NE states to look at Madya Pradesh and the type of growth it has achieved in the past seven years. “They (MP) use all their irrigation potentials from small to big for agriculture. They did not waste even a drop of water they use it to the maximum and with that they attain more than 18 per cent growth in agriculture and now the target is 25 per cent,” she informed.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma termed the decision of the centre to revamp the Brahmaputra Board as ‘historic’.
“Brahmaputra is a challenge for the whole north east and that has been the reason why you have taken this initiative to revamp and restructure Brahmaputra Board which will address all issues pertaining to water resources,” Sangma said while pointing that the matter is a long pending issue of the North East.
Sangma also suggested the need to give the Board with broader mandates and appropriate responsibility befitting to the kind of potentialities and challenges that the Brahmaputra has.” He said,“We look forward for a real game changer that can be effected by the initiative to restructure, revamp and further mandated it with broader responsibilities,”- By Our Reporter
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