NEW DELHI: The Centre will set up an exclusive water management authority for north-east India - North Eastern Water Management Authority (NEWMA) - which will be the apex body for developing all water and river-based projects in the region, and take care of conservation aspects of this natural resources.

The Union water resources (Jal Shakti) ministry is expected to bring a Bill in this regard in the ongoing budget session of the Parliament. A draft of this proposed legislation is currently being prepared with consultation of a committee comprising of chief ministers of all eight north-eastern states.

The Authority, once set up after passing of the proposed legislation in Parliament, will be involved in implementation and monitoring of all projects related to hydro-power, bio-diversity conservation, irrigation, flood control, inland waterways, forestry, fishery and eco-tourism in all north-eastern states — Assam , Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur , Mizoram , Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura .

The Authority will be set up in the backdrop of China’s ambitious second phase of south-north water diversion scheme which aims to transfer water from its flood-prone south to arid northern regions. It is believed that the Chinese move may affect flow of water in the rivers to north-east India as many of such rivers originate in China.

Union Jal Shakti minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, on Friday presided over a meeting of the committee to discuss draft bill on setting up the proposed Authority. Union water secretary U P Singh and, chief ministers and water resources ministers of north-eastern states attended the meeting.

It was proposed in the meeting that the headquarters of the Authority will be set up in Guwahati.

