• Preparation of comprehensive plan for flood management in the Ganga Basin.
• To chalk out a phased and coordinated programme of implementation of the works included in the basin wise flood management plans by the States concerned.
• Formulate and ensure proper standards for works and their regular Maintenance.

• To prepare and update a Comprehensive Plan of flood management in the Ganga basin comprising 23 river systems. The field investigation and collection of data for the purpose are carried out by the concerned State Governments as directed by the Ganga Flood Control Board.
• To draw out a phased and co-ordinated programme of implementation of works included in the basin-wise plans.
• To advise the concerned States to follow guidelines in respect of quality control, material specifications and maintenance in order to ensure the implementation of works and the maintenance thereof to proper standards.
• To prepare the annual programme of works and allocation of cost, wherever required for consideration of the Board.
• To make an assessment of the existing waterways under the road and rail bridges and to determine additional waterways to be provided for reducing the drainage congestion to reasonable limits and their periodic updation.
• To monitor the execution of the important flood management schemes particularly those receiving central assistance or being executed under the Central Sector.
• To examine all major and medium flood management, drainage, anti- water logging and anti-erosion schemes of Ganga basin States except for schemes of the States of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on the river Yamuna in the reach from Tajewala to Okhla barrage.
• Processing the proposals received from Ganga Basin States for central funding under Flood Management Programme, RMBA and monitoring of such schemes.
• Documentation and dissemination of findings emerging out of special studies or investigations conducted in participation with scientific organizations for appropriate use by basin States.
• To evaluate the performance of major flood management measures executed by the States including all the inter-State flood management schemes.
• To participate in various National and International Committees set up by the Government of India and the Ganga basin States pertaining to the subject of flood management.

GFCC apart from being engaged in the preparation and periodic updation of comprehensive master plans for flood management in the Ganga basin is also responsible for carrying out techno-economic appraisal of flood management and anti-erosion schemes in the Ganga basin. It has also been given the task of coordinating several activities concerning flood management with Nepal and Bangladesh.