Patna, 19th December 2024, Vikas K Ojha: Bihar’s Water Resources Minister, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, on Thursday addressed the 38th Annual General Meeting of the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and the 22nd meeting of the Special Committee on River Linking in New Delhi. During his visit, he also met with the Union Minister of Jal Shakti. The Minister urged the Centre to promptly approve critical flood control and irrigation projects, including the Kosi-Mechi Link Project.
Minister Chaudhary emphasized the need to expedite the Detailed Project Report (DPR) work of the Kosi-Mechi Link Project, which is currently pending with NWDA. He called for the project to be treated as a priority, highlighting its significance for both flood management and irrigation. Bihar has already submitted all the necessary data and facts for the DPR of the first phase of the project, and upon its approval, the second phase of the DPR will follow.
Chaudhary further suggested that the first phase of the project, which does not require land acquisition and aims to upgrade the existing system, should be given immediate approval to start the work. He also requested that the project be funded on the lines of the Ken-Betwa Link Project, with a 90:10 funding ratio, urging the Centre to approve it without delay.
Additionally, Minister Chaudhary called for the finalization and immediate implementation of the National Sediment Management Policy. He explained that the excessive silt deposition in Bihar’s rivers has been affecting their flow and reducing their water retention capacity. He urged that Bihar’s suggestions be incorporated into the proposed policy and emphasized the need for consultation with the concerned states by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) for any dredging activities.
This push for timely approvals of these vital projects underscores the urgency of addressing Bihar’s growing concerns about flood management and irrigation infrastructure.
