CCEA approves restructuring of Coastal Zone Management project

NEW DELHI: Proposal for restructuring the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project, which is aimed at protecting and conserving the coastal environment, was today approved by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

Proposed by the Environment Ministry, CCEA chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval to the restructuring the project which includes revising the cost estimate from Rs 1155.60 crore to Rs 1580.10 crore.

The restructuring will also include the extension of the project period from March 31, 2015 to December 31, 2017 and undertaking pre-project activities and preparation of Detailed Project reports (DPR) for ICZM of ten remaining coastal states and Union Territories.

The CCEA in March 2010 had approved the ICZM project with a cost estimate of Rs 1155.63 crore for a period of five years that is up to March 31, 2015. The project is with the assistance of World Bank.

There has been cost revision during the implementation of the project due to natural calamities such as Phallin, cost escalation, non response bids and others which is why the revised proposal was prepared, sources said.

From the revision, the net total budget earmarked for Gujarat is Rs 387.17 crore, Odisha - Rs 334.86 crore and West Bengal - Rs 335.61 crore while Rs 522.45 crore is for national components.

The national-level component also involves allocation of Rs 50 crore for undertaking preparation of DPR for the remaining ten coastal states and UTs keeping in view the vulnerability of the coastline to the climate change impacts and rising sea levels.

The states and UTs are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerela, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands and Daman and Diu.

The project includes demarcation of the hazard line all along the coastal area which is mapped through the Survey of India and capacity building and institutional development in the coastal area which is being carried out through the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) and Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM).