As per the National Register of Large (Specified) Dams, 2023 compiled by the National Dam Safety Authority, there are 234 number of large dams in India, which are more than 100 years old. State/UT-wise list of these dams is enclosed as Annexure.
Responsibility for safety of dams, including its operation and maintenance rests primarily with dam owners which are mostly the State Governments and Central/State Public Sector Units. At present dam owners generally carry out the safety audit in terms of periodical pre-monsoon and post-monsoon inspection of their dams. States have also constituted Dam Safety Review Panels for comprehensive audit of their dams. As per the compliance of Dam Safety Act 2021, dam owning agencies have reported the pre-monsoon & post-monsoon inspections of about 6414 and 4150 dams respectively during the FY 2023-24.
Government of India is also implementing the externally funded Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) for improving the safety and operational performance of some of the selected dams across the country with accompanying institutional strengthening for dam safety. Under the externally funded DRIP, Phase-I programme which was completed in March 2021, a total of 198 dam projects in seven states were comprehensively reviewed for its safety conditions and rehabilitated and strengthened. After completion of DRIP, Phase-I programme, Government of India has taken up DRIP, Phase-II & III scheme, wherein about 736 dams will be comprehensively audited and rehabilitated with financial assistance from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank. Under this scheme, comprehensive inspection and review of about 408 dams have been completed by the Dam Safety Review Panels constituted by the States.
Further, Union Government has enacted the Dam Safety Act 2021, which became effective from 30th December 2021. The Act provides a comprehensive frame work for proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all the large dams of the country for ensuring their safe functioning and to avoid dam failure related disasters. There is a provision for comprehensive dam safety evaluation for each specified dam under Section 38 of the Dam Safety Act 2021.
However, here it is important to mention that aging of dams is not detrimental to its overall health, provided it is maintained properly and timely repairs are carried out in the structure, ensuring its structural integrity, safety features and operation.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
ANNEXURE
State-wise list of Large dams as per NRLD-2019
Sl No. | State/UT | No. of Large dams more than 100 years old (constructed in or before 1922) |
1 | Andaman and Nicobar | 0 |
2. | Andhra Pradesh | 6 |
3. | Arunachal Pradesh | 0 |
4. | Assam | 0 |
5. | Bihar | 1 |
6. | Chhattisgarh | 7 |
7. | Goa | 0 |
8. | Gujarat | 30 |
9. | Haryana | 0 |
10. | Himachal Pradesh | 0 |
11. | Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh | 0 |
12. | Jharkhand | 0 |
13. | Karnataka | 15 |
14. | Kerala | 1 |
15. | Madhya Pradesh | 63 |
16. | Maharashtra | 44 |
17. | Manipur | 0 |
18. | Meghalaya | 0 |
19. | Mizoram | 0 |
20. | Nagaland | 0 |
21. | Odisha | 3 |
22. | Punjab | 0 |
23. | Rajasthan | 25 |
24. | Sikkim | 0 |
25. | Tamil Nadu | 1 |
26. | Tripura | 0 |
27. | Telangana | 21 |
28. | Uttar Pradesh | 17 |
29. | Uttarakhand | 0 |
30. | West Bengal | 0 |
Total | 234 | |
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