Bihar CM Samrat launches Rs 200 Cr devp projects, inaugurates Rs 130 Cr river link channel

Sheohar (Bihar), Jul 19: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday launched development projects worth over Rs 330 crore, including a link channel under the Bagmati-Burhi Gandak River Interlinking Project, in Sheohar district. The CM said the 68.80-km-long Belwa-Minapur link channel (Belwadhar), constructed at Rs 130.88 crore, will enhance agricultural productivity, create new employment opportunities, and play a significant role in building a developed Bihar. The project is also effective in terms of flood management and irrigation, a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said. Choudhary also inaugurated 22 development projects and laid foundation stones for 18 others, with a combined value of Rs 200 crore, in Sheohar district. “The CM inaugurated the Belwa-Minapur (Muzaffarpur District) link channel (Belwadhar) under the Bagmati-Burhi Gandak River Interlinking Project. The link channel will provide a new dimension to flood management and irrigation in the region,” the CMO said. Belwa is in the Piprahi block of Sheohar district, while Minapur is in Muzaffarpur. The state government is committed to the scientific and integrated management of water resources, effective flood control, and the prosperity of farmers, the statement said. “The river interlinking project, envisioned by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is being implemented on the ground under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” it said. Choudhary said that the Belwa-Minapur link channel is an important medium for diverting the surplus water of the Bagmati river to the Burhi Gandak river. With the implementation of this project, managing excess floodwater will become possible, thereby reducing the severity of floods, he added. The CM also stated that the project will increase irrigation capacity, boost agricultural production, enhance farmers’ incomes, and promote fisheries and other agriculture-based activities in the region. It will also contribute to groundwater recharge, expansion of green cover, environmental conservation, and strengthening of the regional economy, he added. “The river interlinking projects are a historic initiative toward realising the vision of a developed Bihar and will serve as a strong foundation for the state’s sustainable development,” he said. According to officials, the development projects, which were launched, were related to the departments of rural works, water resources, education and rural development.