GUWAHATI, June 29 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi�s intervention in creation of the proposed Brahmaputra River Valley Authority (BRVA) by revamping and restructuring the existing Brahmaputra Board within a short time-frame. Gogoi also revealed that the Government would soon form an expert committee for a comprehensive flood management project for Guwahati city.
In a letter to the Prime Minister yesterday, Chief Minister Gogoi said the creation of BRVA is of paramount importance to tackle the perpetual flood and erosion problem and water-related hazards in Assam and the North East as a whole. �We are facing formidable challenges in the flood and erosion management sector due to non-implementation of integrated water resources management of the complex Brahmaputra river system since long,� Gogoi said, adding, �Though the Government of India had announced creation of the North East Water Resources Authority (NEWRA) for harnessing vast water resources of the North East in 2004, it did not materialise due to objections raised by Arunachal Pradesh. Till this matter is resolved, the Government of India may constitute the BRVA to tackle the flood and erosion problems in the region.�
It may be mentioned that a proposal for creation of BRVA is under active consideration of the Government of India. In this regard, the Government of Assam had already placed its requisite views before the Centre in November 2012.
The Chief Minister also pleaded with the Prime Minister for early approval to the Flood and Erosion Management Project of Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys by the Ministry of Water Resources.
Gogoi further urged Modi to facilitate the establishment of an Indian Institute of Management in Guwahati. �A number of management and technical institutes and universities have come up in the public and private sectors, including the Indian Institute of Information Technology, IIT Guwahati and NIT, Silchar in the past decade or so. This has led to development in the higher education sector and enhancement in quality education in the State. However, we still do not have a management institute of international repute. It is felt that such an institute will not only cater to the aspirations of young talents of the State, the region and the country, but also act as a research and development institute for addressing the problems of the State, including the region,� he said.
Gogoi also took up the matter with Union Minister for Human Resources Development Smriti Zubin Irani regarding setting up of a management institute in Guwahati. The Chief Minister said the State would provide the required land for establishment of the management institute.
