Central Flood Control Board was established in India in 1954 and on its basis. Provincial Flood Control Boards were also established at the state level.
During the First Five-Year Plan itself, importance was given to construction of embankments and big dams. It was written in the draft plan that big dams could prove useful in storing excess water brought during floods.
The Ganga Flood Control Commission was constituted in 1972 with the main objective of preparing detailed projects of different river systems of Ganga river basin to prevent floods. The Commission has taken steps for getting early sanction of detailed flood management projects of Son, Punpun, Budhi Gandak, Bagmati, Mayurakshi and Jalangi rivers.
It is possible save 320 lakh hectares area out of 400 lakh hectares of flood affected area in India, from floods. Up to March 2000, protection has been assured to 157 lakh hectares from flood hazard by construction of channels for embankments, urban security works and settlement of habitations on a higher level.
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A total of Rs 7,239 crores have been spent over it. 37,904 km new embankments and 37,904 km disposal channels have been also constructed. Apart from it, protection has been provided to 2,337 towns along with additional villages and 4,713 villages have been raised above the flood level.
Though flood management is a fundamental subject of the states, even then central government provides special central assistance in technical and developmental form. Central Water Commission provides flood forecasting of interstate rivers through 166 forecasting centres and 25 intermediate forecasting centres.