Patna: The state government will undertake
various river inter-linking projects during the next financial
year to optimally utilise its water resources, Bihar Water
Resources Minister Vijay Chaudhary said on Tuesday.
Four projects in north Bihar, Budhi
Gandak-Non-Baya-Ganga, Koshi-Bagmati link, Bagmati-Budhi
Gandak link and Kohra-Chandrawat link, have been taken up, he
said in the state assembly replying to discussion on Rs.
2916.91 crore budget of the department for the financial year
2011-12.
Another project - Koshi-Mechi link - has been
conceived for irrigation purposes and the National Water
Development Agency asked to prepare a detailed project report
(DPR) in this regard, Chaudhary said.
The construction works for Budhi Gandak-Baya project
may start in the financial year 2011-12 as the 13th Finance
Commission sanctioned Rs. 333 crore for the purpose, the
minister said.
Similarly, the state government has taken up two
river inter-linking projects in South Bihar for irrigation
purposes - Dhanaraje-Phulwaria link and Sakri-Nata link -
Chaudhary said.
Stating that the DPRs of the two river inter-linking
projects in South Bihar are in final stages, he said that the
execution of these projects may start in 2011-12.
The state government also formulated new irrigation
projects under which a second barrage will be constructed at
Areraj on river Gandak, while irrigation and water recession
projects will also come up at Bagmati and Mokama Taal regions,
Chaudhary said.
The availability of per capita water per year has been
steadily going down since 1991 in the country and the figure
in case of Bihar was more alarming, the minister cautioned
adding the people of the state faced a stark prospect of
availability of less than 1000 cubic meter per capita by 2015
as against the corresponding figure of 1594 in 2001.
The water resources department's budget for 2011-12
was passed by the state assembly with majority votes.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, March 08, 2011, 22:35