The government's upcoming six-year flood prevention program should be comprehensively reviewed at least once every two years to ensure its objectives are accomplished, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said today.
"Our new water-control concept necessitates continuous review," he affirmed.
The premier made these remarks after being briefed by the Council for Economic Planning and Development and Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) about the review of the Regulation Project of Flood-prone Areas, which commenced in 2006 and will conclude at the end of this year, and the formulation of the follow-up plan to begin in 2014, known as the comprehensive drainage basin management project.
In light of the havoc wreaked by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines as well as global climate change, Taiwan's central and local governments should proactively work to prevent natural disasters and safeguard residents' lives and property, Jiang said.
With the eight-year Regulation Project of Flood-prone Areas coming to an end, the premier instructed relevant agencies to supervise their counterparts in local governments and carry out maintenance measures.
The premier cited water-flow control, the implementation of innovative "sponge city" policies which enable urban areas to retain water, and the strengthening of "non-hardware" and early warning measures as ways to bolster the nation's comprehensive disaster preparedness. These efforts would also boost economic development, he added.
Following Tropical Storm Kong-Rey, the Executive Yuan immediately established a task force to thoroughly review the policies, administration and performance of the Regulation Project of Flood-prone Areas.
Officials have determined that although the efforts of the past eight years have brought steady improvement, further progress is needed. During last Thursday's Cabinet meeting, the Executive Yuan approved a draft special act for comprehensive drainage basin management and sent it to the Legislature for deliberation.
The new six-year plan, drafted by the MOEA, encompasses a wider scope than its predecessors, adding aquaculture drainage, preservation of agricultural produce and adjustment of production areas, and joint management of rivers and bridges as target areas, among others. Program members will plan future flood policy.
Unlike its predecessors, this project will adopt four areas—disaster prevention, comprehensive water control, "three-dimensional (3D) flood prevention" (the employment of 3D maps to better identify and remediate flood hazards) and drainage basin management—as guidelines for administration.
The program will have a six-year budget of NT$60 billion (US$2.0 billion) at its disposal. These funds shall be provisionally allocated as follows: NT$30 billion (US$1.0 billion) to the MOEA, NT$13 billion (US$440 million) to the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and NT$17 billion (US$575 million) to the Council of Agriculture (COA).
In addition to funding comprehensive water management projects based on program priorities, the budget will provide for the following:
•Control of drainage basin outflow channels
•Scientific and technological disaster prevention and evacuation measures
•Preservation of major agricultural produce and adjustment of production areas
•Hierarchical governance for flood and landslide prevention
•Implementation of innovative concepts such as sponge-city and low-impact, sustainable land development methods
•Cultivation of talents
•Prevention of agricultural losses
•Enhancement of inspection and oversight
•Sustainable maintenance and management systems
The premier noted that the water-management capabilities of local governments have noticeably grown over the past eight years as cities and counties prone to flooding have successively set up water management bureaus and greatly increased relevant personnel. Consequently, some money from the new project's budget shall go to local governments to assist them in water management. The MOEA, COA and MOI shall strictly oversee subsequent tasks, including reviews, inspections and oversight, to ensure that every dollar is put to good use.
Local governments should proactively budget their own water management expenses and work hand-in-hand with the central government to expedite the completion of projects, concluded the premier.