New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS): As many as 2002 human lives were lost due to hydro-meteorological calamities during 2021 with a maximum of them, 489, in Maharashtra, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Hydro-meteorological events mean natural hazards such as cyclonic storms/heavy rains/floods/landslides etc.

Among other states, Himachal Pradesh witnessed 298 deaths followed by Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh at 162 deaths each, Karnataka (144), Kerala (138), Madhya Pradesh (127), Uttarakhand (107) and West Bengal (65), Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu, said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha while giving out state-wise details (provisional data) as on November 25.

In a related question, Tudu informed that to strengthen the structural measures of flood management, the ministry has launched a Flood Management Programme (FMP) for providing Central assistance to states for works related to flood management, flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, anti-sea erosion, etc.

These have subsequently continued as a component of 'Flood Management and Border Areas Programme' (FMBAP) from 2017-18 and extended up to December 2021.

"So far, Central assistance amounting to Rs 6,447.76 crore has been released to Union Territories/state governments under this programme. The 415 projects completed under this programme have given protection to an area of around 4.994 million hactres and protected a population of about 52.21 million," the minister said.