Bihar CM Meets Finance and External Affairs Ministers to Discuss Development Initiatives
New Delhi, August 21: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary met with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Karyalay Bhawan. The meeting also included Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Chaudhary and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Jha.
Chaudhary shared details of the meeting on the social media platform ‘X’, stating, “Participated in an important meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar in New Delhi.” He noted that the discussions covered significant topics such as India-Nepal water and dam projects, budget-related issues, tourism development, and other matters of interest to Bihar.
The Chief Minister emphasized that this meeting was crucial for effectively presenting Bihar’s development, prosperity, and public interest issues to the central government and for fostering better coordination moving forward.
It is noteworthy that several major dams and hydroelectric projects are underway between India and Nepal under water resource cooperation, including those on the Kosi, Gandak, and Mahakali rivers. These projects primarily aim to control flooding, facilitate irrigation, and generate hydroelectric power.
The Kosi project commenced under a 1954 agreement between India and Nepal, leading to the construction of the Kosi Barrage, designed to control floods in North Bihar and Nepal while providing irrigation facilities. Meanwhile, the Gandak project was established under the 1959 Gandak Agreement, which includes the construction of a dam and hydroelectric plant at Bhainsalotan (Balmikinagar).
The Saptakoshi High Dam project is a significant multipurpose initiative proposed on the Saptakoshi River in Nepal, being developed collaboratively by India and Nepal. Its primary objectives are to protect northern Bihar and southeastern Nepal from severe flooding, generate substantial electricity, and provide water for irrigation.
