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Union Government has approved Rs 4,900 crore Kosi-Mechi Interlinking project for interlinking of Kosi and Mechi rivers of Bihar.
- About the project:
- This is the second major river interlinking project in the country to be approved by Central Government after the Ken-Betwa project in Madhya Pradesh.
- The river Kosi is an international river originating from Tibet and flowing through Nepal in Himalayan Mountains and the lower portion through plains of North Bihar.
- To overcome the acute problem of shifting of course to the Kosi River, heavy sediment loads, flooding. The then Government of Nepal and the Government of India signed an agreement on 25th April 1954 for implementation of Kosi project.
- The present proposal is an extension of Eastern Kosi Main Canal (EKMC) system up to river Mechi, a tributary of river Mahananda.
- The aim of extension of EKMC upto Mechi River is mainly to provide irrigation benefits to the water scarce 2.14 lakh hectares of Mahananda basin command in the districts of Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia and Katihar during kharif season depending upon the pondage available in Hanuman Nagar barrage.
- This intrastate link scheme will thus transfer part of surplus water of Kosi basin to Mahananda basin.
