Bihar Secures ₹4,415 Crore World Bank Project for Water Security and Irrigation Modernization
The Bihar government has taken a major initiative for the problem of floods and modern management of irrigation. Under this, Bihar water security and irrigation modernization will get a new impetus after the approval of the state cabinet for a total project of Rs 4,415 crore with the World Bank.
The main objective of the proposed project is to create effective irrigation management and efficient irrigation system at the level of institutional capacity building. This project will increase the capacity of preparations and process to be done in disaster and emergency situation at the level of effective flood risk management in the state.
Apart from this, this project will promote more coordination among stakeholders for the resulting economic and social welfare. This is a comprehensive initiative, which includes necessary institutional strengthening, capacity building of stakeholders, efficient irrigation system, flood risk reduction and drought prevention etc. Various districts of Bihar will benefit from the said project. Due to which more attention can be focused on the districts affected by floods, waterlogging and drought. To reduce the risk of floods, it will help in controlling the excess water flow of major rivers, increasing the capacity of water flow. This will make the dams more robust by using the latest technology for their safety and restore the lost irrigation capacity from the irrigation source for drought-affected districts.
The proposed project is an externally funded project, the total estimated cost of which is Rs 4415 crore. 30 percent of this, i.e. Rs 1324 crore 50 lakh will be borne by the Bihar government and the remaining 70 percent, i.e. Rs 3090 crore 50 lakh, will be taken as a loan from the World Bank (IBRD). There are four main components of this project. Under which the following amount has been provided. In this, provisions of Rs 2487 crore have been made for climate-friendly irrigation, Rs 1525 crore for flood risk reduction, Rs 243 crore for water governance and Rs 160 crore for project management. The works to be done under various components of the project will be implemented by the Water Resources Department (Nodal Department) as well as the Rural Development Department and the Agriculture Department, Government of Bihar. The time limit for implementation of the project has been set to start from the financial year 2025-26 and to complete it in the next seven years.
Under this project, upgradation and modernization of identified irrigation systems is proposed. So that the irrigation system in the state is not dependent on rain and irrigation facilities can be made available to the farmers even in adverse conditions. The major schemes under this include restoration of Son, Gandak and Kosi barrages, modernization of Son Western Main Canal, restoration and modernization of Western Kosi irrigation schemes, restoration and modernization of Jhanjharpur branch canal, renovation and lining of Saran main canal (17 to 35 km).
Under the project, restoration and strengthening of identified embankments and spurs is proposed for flood risk reduction. For restoration and strengthening, latest design techniques have been used with the help of the concerned consultants of the World Bank. The major schemes under this include elevation, strengthening and concreting of the left embankment of Bagmati, anti-erosion work from village Pathartola to Kamalakani in Kursela block, district Katihar, strengthening and concreting of the extended Sikarhatta Manjhari dam along with renovation of its 11 spurs and renovation of 25 spurs of the Eastern Kosi embankment.
