Five years ago, the Indian government set its sights on establishing a new water resources management authority with ambitious plans for the northeastern states. This authority, known as the North East Water Management Authority (Newma), was envisioned as a comprehensive solution to manage water-related projects in a region crisscrossed by crucial rivers like the Brahmaputra, Manas, and Teesta, many of which originate from or flow through neighboring countries. Newma’s mandate encompassed a wide range of projects, including hydropower, agriculture, biodiversity conservation, flood control, inland water transport, forestry, fishery, and eco-tourism across the northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim. Furthermore, it was seen as a key instrument in bolstering India’s claim to prior user rights to water from rivers originating in China.
However, despite the grand ambitions, Newma has remained stuck on the drawing board for the past five years due to various political and administrative hurdles. Now, government officials are signaling a renewed commitment to the project, stating that Newma has climbed back onto the priority list. They have revealed that cabinet notes and a draft bill to establish the new entity have been prepared, with a potential tabling in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha during the upcoming winter session. The officials added that states like Assam, Sikkim, and West Bengal, which initially had reservations, are now in favor of establishing the new water resources body. West Bengal, situated on India’s eastern frontier, shares the waters of its neighboring northeastern states. “Due to political shifts in some northeastern states, we are having fresh consultations with them. We will get a resolution soon as all states are on board except one or two,” a government official said, declining to be named. Another official echoed this sentiment, stating, “All discussions have taken place and inputs have been taken from all stakeholder states… Newma will soon be established after cabinet approval and the passing of the draft law (in Parliament).”
But why does the government want to replace the existing Brahmaputra Board with Newma? The Brahmaputra Board was established in Guwahati in 1980 by the Union government to plan and implement measures to control floods, mitigate bank erosion, and address other related issues in the northeastern states and parts of West Bengal falling under the Brahmaputra River Basin. The board’s responsibilities also extend to developing projects related to irrigation, hydropower, navigation, and dam construction in the region. However, the Brahmaputra Board has struggled to fulfill its mandate for several years, hampered by a severe staff shortage, particularly at the leadership level. Last year, Arunachal Pradesh’s Water Resources Minister, Mama Natung, alerted the Brahmaputra Board about the state’s technical and financial constraints in implementing projects under the flood management and border area program. The then Union Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, urged the board to “work in tandem with the Central Water Commission, expand the scope of work, and fast-track the studies and strategies for a robust roadmap.” However, over 200 positions out of the required 415 remain vacant at the Brahmaputra Board. This persistent staffing problem stems from a reluctance of individuals recruited through the Union Public Service Commission or the Staff Selection Commission to accept postings in the northeastern states.
The idea of restructuring the Brahmaputra Board has been floated before. In 2012, following the Brahmaputra River’s devastation of over 400,000 hectares of land, discussions for restructuring arose. Then, in 2015, Uma Bharti, the then Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation, announced that a bill to restructure the Brahmaputra Board as the North East Brahmaputra River Rejuvenation Authority would be introduced in Parliament. But this proposal was shelved due to concerns raised by the Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh at the time regarding the Union government’s plans to construct dams in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang district. The Union government then proposed Newma as a potential solution to Assam’s persistent problems of flood and erosion, issues that the Brahmaputra Board had failed to address. The officials mentioned earlier highlight that Newma is expected to possess greater powers and a broader mandate than the Brahmaputra Board. One key difference is that Newma would not require approval from the Central Water Commission even for projects exceeding 25,000 crore (approximately $3.3 billion). The Indian government’s renewed push for Newma signals a determination to tackle water management challenges in the northeastern states, while also potentially strengthening its claim to water resources originating in neighboring countries. Only time will tell whether Newma will be able to deliver on its ambitious promises and become the long-awaited solution for the region’s complex water management issues.
