(a) whether the Government proposes to start Mahananda River Linking project in Bihar;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the Government plans to initiate the project; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
(a) whether the Government proposes to start Mahananda River Linking project in Bihar;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the Government plans to initiate the project; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) to (c) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *370 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2020 REGARDING MAHANANDA RIVER LINKING PROJECT.
(a) to (c) Presently, there is no river linking project in the name of ‘Mahananda River Linking Project’ in Bihar. However, Government of Bihar has proposed Kosi-Mechi Intra-State river link project for diverting Kosi river water to Mechi river (a tributary of Mahananda river). National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has prepared Detailed Project Report of the same and sent to Government of Bihar in March, 2014. Kosi-Mechi link is proposed to off take from existing Hanuman Nagar barrage on river Kosi close to Indo-Nepal Border. The present proposal envisages extending the existing Eastern Kosi Main Canal, beyond its tail end at RD 41.30 km to RD 117.50 km upto Mechi River, so that rivers Kosi and Mechi which flow through Bihar after crossing Indo-Nepal border could be linked within Bihar.
Ministry of Jal Shakti in July, 2016 has conveyed techno-economic clearance of Kosi-Mechi Intra-State link project. Environment clearance has also been accorded by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The stage of implementation of project would be reached after the requisite clearances are obtained.
Apart from the above, out of 14 river link projects identified under the Himalayan Component of the National Perspective Plan, prepared by the then Ministry of Irrigation (now Ministry of Jal Shakti) in August 1980 for water resources development through inter basin transfer of water, for transferring water from water surplus basins to water-deficit basins, the Kosi-Mechi link project is proposed to divert the water of Kosi River to Mechi River (a tributary of Mahananda river). The Pre Feasibility Report of the link has been prepared by NWDA, however, the Feasibility Report of this link could not be taken up as this link entirely lies in Nepal territory.
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