The 19th Meeting of the Ganga Flood Control Board was held on 27th October 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C. R. Patil. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister of West Bengal Shri Suvendu Adhikari, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Ram Nath Thakur, NITI Aayog Member Prof. K. V. Raju, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister Shri Swatantra Dev Singh, and representatives from Ganga Basin States and central/state government officials.
The Ganga Flood Control Board, constituted on 18 April 1972, serves as a high-level institutional platform for coordinated planning and implementation of flood, erosion, and drainage management measures across the Ganga Basin. The board is chaired by the Union Jal Shakti Minister and includes Chief Ministers of Ganga Basin States or their representatives, with the Chairman of Ganga Flood Control Commission serving as Member Secretary.
During the meeting, Union Minister Shri C. R. Patil launched the Punah Bharan Mobile App, developed by Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics in collaboration with the National Water Mission, which aims to facilitate scientific identification of suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharge interventions.
The Board deliberated on the revised mandate and restructuring of the Ganga Flood Control Commission, which includes strengthening basin-level flood management planning, appraisal of flood management schemes, river morphology and sedimentation studies, and development of a Flood Management Information System (FMIS). These institutional arrangements are expected to improve coordination, technical appraisal, and timely decision-making.
Discussions focused on preparation of risk-based basin Master Plans, assessment of adequacy of waterways and ventways under bridges, improving quality of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), timely implementation of flood management projects, and application of modern technologies in flood management. Emphasis was placed on strengthening coordination among Central Ministries, State Governments, and stakeholders in addressing river morphology, drainage congestion, infrastructure development, and flood resilience issues.
The meeting highlighted the importance of modern survey techniques, sound technical investigations, appropriate statutory clearances, and timely resolution of project implementation bottlenecks. It reaffirmed the commitment to an integrated, risk-informed, and technology-enabled approach to flood management, supported by effective Centre-State cooperation, improved technical standards, and coordinated implementation of flood management measures across the Ganga Basin.