West Bengal Minister: River Management Project Planned with Bihar, Jharkhand

Fast Summary

• West Bengal Irrigation Minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia announced plans for a ₹610 crore ‘mega river management project’ in partnership with Bihar and Jharkhand to address erosion issues in Malda and Murshidabad districts.
• A coordination meeting involving teh three states and the Ganga Flood Control Commission (GFCC) was held on July 24, where GFCC directed submission of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). West bengal has prepared its DPR.
• Key measures include bank protection, flood management, dredging, embankment strengthening, and construction of five spurs across a 5 km stretch in Ratua block starting December 2025.
• GFCC advised that Jharkhand and Bihar issue a ‘no objection’ for dredging work by West Bengal in sakrigali (Jharkhand).
• The Ganga impacts land erosion heavily in Ratua block due to high flow velocity; Mr. Bhunia noted approximately 3,394.8 hectares have been lost since independence due to land erosion caused by the river.
• Previous anti-erosion works undertaken covered six activities spanning 6.83 km at an estimated cost of ₹58.77 crores; Chief Minister had earlier reached out to the Prime Minister on this matter.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The announcement of a multi-state initiative reflects growing recognition of regional collaboration as vital for managing complex environmental challenges like river erosion and flooding along the Gangetic plains. The project’s focus on embankment protection and strategic dredging signifies efforts toward mitigating both human displacement risks and agricultural losses tied to riverbank degradation.

While West Bengal shoulders significant impacts-80% per GFCC estimates-the shared responsibility among states offers an opportunity for coordinated resource allocation addressing diverse geographical vulnerabilities along the Ganga’s path through Bihar,Jharkhand,and beyond into downstream regions toward Bay of Bengal ecosystems.

moreover, acknowledgment that extreme land loss is both regional and national underscores broader implications requiring systemic policy frameworks integrating technology-driven methodologies alongside conventional infrastructure solutions like spurs or embankments amid climate uncertainties intensifying hydro-geological stress periodically reported during monsoon cycles affecting Northern /Eastern geographies(state geography)

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