Environment › Environmental law and institutions

Rivers: sharing, linking and disputes

How India shares its rivers: disputes between States and how they are settled, river linking, and rivers shared with neighbouring countries. It serves GS1 answers on resources and GS2 answers on federalism.

Showing 1 of 8 subjects, those that changed from 1 to 15 August 2026.Show all

Brahmaputra Board

Prelims and Mains

The Board was set up under the Brahmaputra Board Act, 1980 to prepare master plans for flood control, erosion and drainage, and remains advisory.

What changed

4 Aug 2026New subjectnewly added
- Of 73 master plans identified across the Brahmaputra, Barak and related basins, only 52 had been approved up to 2025, and 65 of 182 sanctioned technical posts were vacant.
- A North East Water Management Authority was first proposed in 2004 and a draft Bill was listed in Parliament in 2022, but it has not been enacted.
- Assam flooded in a season with a rainfall deficit, so flooding is tracking the condition of channels and embankments and not the quantity of rain.
Mains: these rivers cross several States and countries, yet flood management follows State boundaries because water is a State subject.
Frontline, 4 Aug 2026: Assam's floods affected over 1.3 lakh people in a season with a rainfall deficit, and the institution meant to manage the basin has never been given statutory teeth. (opens in a new tab)