The Ministry of Jal Shakti announced on April 17, 2026 the continuation of the River Basin Management (RBM) Scheme for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31 with a substantially enhanced outlay of ₹2,183 crore, up about 71 per cent from the ₹1,276 crore allocated in the 2021-22 to 2025-26 phase. The scheme operates as a Central Sector Scheme implemented through the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. The continuing phase prioritises strategically important basins in the North-Eastern and Himalayan regions including the Brahmaputra, Barak, Teesta and Indus river systems, supporting States such as Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. Components include preparation and updating of River Basin Master Plans, topographical and hydrological surveys, integrated basin-level water resource assessment, and capacity building of State agencies. Advanced technological inputs — Geographic Information Systems (GIS), satellite remote sensing, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and drone-based surveys — will be used to refine basin data. The objective is to address water stress, uneven resource distribution, climate-change impacts and trans-boundary coordination needs in basins where surface and groundwater regimes are complex. The scheme also strengthens India's ability to operate Brahmaputra Board and similar river-basin institutions, and supports flood control, irrigation expansion and hydropower planning across the basins covered. Continuation of the RBM Scheme is consistent with the National Water Policy and the integrated water-resource development framework that the Government has been pursuing since the 12th Five-Year Plan period.