Minister says Bihar environment programme in line with COP26 agenda

Jha urged the Centre to provide financial aid on the formula of 90:10, for the Koshi Mechi Intra State River Linking Project as the scheme would be of immense benefit to four districts of eastern Bihar

Bihar water resources minister Sanjay Kumar Jha on Friday said that the Nitish Kumar government’s ambitious ‘Jal Jeevan Hariyali Abhiyaan’, which makes water and greenery essential components for sustaining life, is in line with COP26 agenda and Bihar has been working on it with all seriousness.

Jha said that CM Nitish Kumar had been keen on interlinking of small rivers for water conservation and irrigation facilities benefitting farmers, besides working on mission mode to face the climate challenge. (HT Photo)

He was speaking at the 19th meeting of the special committee for interlinking of rivers chaired by Union minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Jha said that anticipating that climate change would be the biggest challenge across the globe, Bihar government was working on various environmental aspects, such as increasing green cover, growing use of solar energy, rainwater harvesting, revival of dead water bodies, water to every farm, climate-smart agriculture etc., with people’s participation in a coordinated way through the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali programme.

The programme had also earned Bihar CM recognition as ‘Global Climate Leader’ from the United Nations and praise from co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates, the minister said. The environmental programme was launched in 2019 with the state cabinet approving ₹24,524 crore for its implementation over the next three years.

Jha said that intra-linking of small rivers within Bihar would help mitigate flood and drought. “Bihar is happy with the progress being made by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) in drafting of a detailed project report (DPR) for interlinking of state’s rivers. This will contribute significantly in mitigating the double whammy of flood and drought, which the state faces every year,” he added.

He urged the Centre to provide financial aid on the formula of 90:10, for the Koshi Mechi Intra State River Linking Project as the scheme would be of immense benefit to four districts of eastern Bihar.

He thanked the national agency for agreeing to reconsider the feasibility of Bagmati-Ganga link, Budhi Gandak -Noon-Baya-Ganga link and Bagmati Budhi Gandak link projects under intra-state river linking schemes.

He said the mathematical modelling centre of Bihar was undertaking model study for intra-linking of various rivers in Bihar. “Recent model study done for interlinking of Bagmati-Ganga link has shown positive results. If the scheme is implemented, it will help free Kusheshwarsthan of flood menace caused by Bagmati, Kamala and Kosi rivers,” he said, adding interlink Bagmati, Koshi & Kamala river basin of north Bihar and Punpun, Harohar basins of south Bihar would go a long way in mitigating flood and drought situations

Jha said that CM Nitish Kumar had been keen on interlinking of small rivers for water conservation and irrigation facilities benefitting farmers, besides working on mission mode to face the climate challenge. He requested NWDA to appoint more officials for its regional office in Patna for better coordination between the department and the agency.