The Central Government has approved 75 flood control and anti-erosion schemes proposed by the State Water Resources Department (WRD) for implementation from this financial year. The schemes are worth around Rs 434.839 crore, 29 thousand. The Centre is releasing before March next the first installment worth Rs 97.83 crore against the schemes. However, the release of funds will depend on the progress of implementation of the schemes. Disclosing this, sources in the WRD said that the allocation against the schemes for the current fiscal is around Rs 212.230 crore, 88 thousand. The WRD had submitted 96 schemes for approval to the Central Government. Of the approved schemes, 40 schemes were prepared as per the recommendations made by the Central Government's 2004 Task Force on Flood and Erosion. The rest 35 were prepared as State Priority Schemes. The Central Government deferred its clearance to 21 schemes on various grounds. Against five of the schemes, the WRD could not submit the utilisation certificates due to non-release of the State's share for their implementation, while for 11 of the schemes, investment clearance from the Planning Commission was not obtained. Four of the schemes, related to purchase of machinery, did fall neither under the provisions of flood control schemes nor under the provisions of the anti-erosion schemes. On the other hand, one scheme is still under examination of the Ministry of Water Resources, said the Union Government while explaining the reasons for withholding its clearance to the 21 schemes. It needs mention here that estimated cost of each of the approved schemes is below Rs 7.5 crore. In case the estimated cost of a scheme crosses the limit of Rs 7.5 crore, it is subjected to Central Water Commission's (CWC) technical examination. Thereafter, the Water Commission is to recommend the scheme to the Planning Commission for investment clearance. Then, it is mandatory that the Planning Commission puts its seal of approval on the investment proposal for the scheme, said the sources. The WRD schemes approved by the Central Government include the one relating to raising, strengthening and closing the Kopili spill channel from Kharikhana to Jugijan at an estimated cost of Rs 745.84 lakh (for 07-08- Rs 298.34 lakh). This list also includes the project for raising and strengthening the right bank embankment of Borolia river from Somurkhaghat to Dusutimukh at an estimated cost of Rs 620 lakh (Rs 305 lakh for 2007-08). Improving, strengthening and training of river Sonkosh at Dianamari (estimated cost