India to get vital flood data on Brahmaputra from China

India will get vital flood season data from China for five years as part of a bilateral understanding, which will improve forecast and timely warning in the downstream of the mighty Brahmaputra river.

The data will be provided from 2008 to 2012 under a memorandum of understanding signed with Beijing in June this year during the visit of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to the Communist country.

The Union Cabinet, at its meeting in Delhi on Friday, approved the MoU on sharing hydrological information by China to India about the Brahmaputra/Yaluzangbu river in flood season.

"The MoU will enable India to improve flood forecasting and timely warning for mitigation measures in the downstream reaches of the Brahmaputra river," Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters after the meeting.

He said the Cabinet also modified the eligibility criterion for appointment of chairman of E-Committee set up by the Supreme Court to assist the chief justice of India in formulating a national policy on computerisation of the judiciary.

As per the modification, retired judges of the Supreme Court and retired chief justices and retired judges of any high court could be appointed chairman of the E-Committee.

The decision will give the chief justice of India a free hand in selection and appointment of chairman and members of the E-Committee, which will also advise on technological, communication and management-related changes.