Assam Government launches SWIFT project with ADB support

The Himanta Biswa Sarma government in Assam has launched the Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) project to revitalise 129 Beels and boost Indigenous fish production. The state government's SWIFT project is funded and supported by the Asian Development Bank(ADB).

What is a Beel?

Beel are floodplain wetlands and cover around one lakh hectares of land in Assam.

Floodplain wetlands are low-lying areas bordering large rivers that are inundated during the monsoon season due to overflow from the main river channel. They are part of the Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems in the country.

Assam has the maximum number of water areas under floodplain wetlands in the country. The floodplain wetlands are mainly associated with the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers in the state.

These floodplain wetlands are locally known as beels (Assam, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura), maun, chaurs and dhars (Bihar), pats (Manipur), charhas and boars (northern and south-eastern West Bengal respectively)

These water bodies are important fishery resources and a source of livelihood in these states.

About the SWIFT Project of Assam 

• The total outlay for the project is Rs Rs 798.88 crore.
• It aims to revitalise 129 Beels of the state.
• The project aims to restore nearly 4,000 hectares of beel areas.
• It will help with flood control, groundwater replenishment, and river flow regulation in the state. 
• The SWIFT project is expected to increase fish production by 1,200 kg per hectare annually in the state.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a multilateral Development Bank focused on the Asia-Pacific region. 

It was established in 1966 and has 69 member countries.

It is based in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines.

President of ADB:Masatsugu Asakawa