THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the state government has unveiled a new Disaster Resilient Programme to strengthen flood mitigation, a multi-crore 2018 post-flood initiative launched by the previous LDF government with almost identical objectives has come under renewed scrutiny following the latest flood-like situation.
The Resilient Kerala Programme (RKP) - Programme for Results (PforR), launched in May 2025 under the Rebuild Kerala Development Programme (RKDP), was conceived as a comprehensive strategy to improve flood preparedness and climate resilience after the floods of 2018 and 2019.
The project was implemented through agreements with international funding agencies, including the World Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). A phased implementation between 2025 and 2030 was envisaged.
As part of the programme, an Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Plan was prepared for the Greater Pampa Basin, covering the Pampa, Achankovil and Manimala rivers. The basin spans the flood-prone districts of Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha, which bore the brunt of the 2018 and 2019 floods.
The programme aimed to establish reliable early warning systems, strengthen flood forecasting, optimise reservoir operations, mitigate the impact of extreme floods and improve long-term water security.
In June 2023, the World Bank approved loan assistance of `1,426.47 crore for the programme. Documents related to the IRBM plan accessed by TNIE show that the Pampa, Manimala and Achankovil basins were selected for detailed assessment.
The study included river basin profiling, water resource assessment, stakeholder consultations, risk prioritisation, flood assessment and mitigation measures.
The IRBM plan proposed a multi-tier governance framework comprising apex, technical and river basin-level committees to oversee implementation. It also integrated major infrastructure projects, including the Pampa Irrigation Project, Kerala Water Authority’s drinking water schemes and the Sabarigiri Hydroelectric Project.
According to the action taken report under the IRBM plan, implementation of the flood forecasting system had been completed. However, the latest floods have raised questions over its effectiveness.
“The system failed to provide timely warnings or significantly reduce flooding in the Pampa basin, the very objective for which the project was conceived,” a senior government official told TNIE.
Responding to the criticism, former Irrigation Minister Roshi Augustine said the previous LDF government had submitted a proposal to the Centre for a comprehensive flood mitigation project for the Pampa, Manimala and Achankovil river systems to protect Kuttanad, but it did not receive the required support from the Union government.