Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 19 : The Assam Government has taken a significant step towards building advanced technical capacity to address the state's long-standing challenges of perennial flooding, flood risk, riverbank erosion, and sustainable water resource management.
Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on May 22 between the Water Resources Department (WRD), Government of Assam, and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), a two-year, part-time online Master of Technology (MTech) programme in Flood and Water Resources Management has been launched.
The programme is exclusively designed for in-service engineers of WRD as well as engineers from other departments who wish to pursue it.
Marking the commencement of the first batch, an Orientation Programme was held at IIT Guwahati, where WRD engineers were formally inducted into the course.
The event was attended by Syedain Abbasi, Special Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam; Prof Devendra Jalihal, Director of IIT Guwahati; Dr. Jeevan Basavaraj, CEO, FREMAA; along with senior faculty members, engineering students of IIT Guwahati, and senior officials of the Water Resources Department.
While addressing the students, Syedain Abbasi highlighted that the officers enrolled in the program would be able to strengthen their capabilities in the sector through this course.
During the orientation, faculty members of IIT Guwahati outlined the curriculum, which covers a broad range of technical and applied subjects, including Hydro-informatics, Integrated Water Resources Management, Hydro-morphological Studies, Sediment Transport, Flood and Erosion Protection Structures, Nature-Based Solutions, Soil and Material Research, and Essential Soft Skills for Professionals.
The programme has been specifically designed to suit the schedules of working professionals, enabling participants to balance academic learning with departmental responsibilities. This initiative is expected to strengthen the technical expertise of WRD personnel, thereby contributing to long-term, sustainable solutions for Assam's water-related challenges.
The collaboration is a key component of the Assam Integrated River Basin Management Programme (AIRBMP)--a multi-phased, 10-year initiative supported by the World Bank.
The programme is being implemented by the Government of Assam through the Government of India, with technical and financial assistance from the World Bank.
The Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam (FREMAA) serves as the Project Management Unit, while WRD and the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) act as the principal Project Implementing Units.
By equipping engineers with advanced knowledge and skills, the programme reinforces Assam's commitment to integrated, nature-based, and non-structural solutions for flood risk reduction and sustainable water resource management, ultimately building resilience and safeguarding communities from water-related hazards.