Bihar Cabinet approves MOU between WRD & NIH, Roorkee for ‘Flood Plain Zone Delineation Study’

The Bihar cabinet on Wednesday (October 28, 2026) gave its nod to undertake a ‘Flood Plain Zone Delineation Study’ to identify and delineate flood-prone areas along the major tributaries of the River Ganga, namely the Kosi, Gandak, and Sone.

It approved the proposal for signing of an MOU between the State’s Water Resources Department and the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, to execute the study work to be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 1.99 crore, Cabinet Secretariat Department’s Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Arvind Kumar Chaudhary told reporters in Patna in a post-cabinet briefing held at the IPRD conference room.

It will help ensure the sustainable and balanced development of flood-affected areas in accordance with changing environmental and socio-economic conditions, while minimising loss of human life and damage to property. The proposed scheme is highly beneficial and serves the public interest.

It also approved a proposal for the assessment of the safety and actual condition of all specified dams located in the State under the Dam Safety Act 2021. It will prevent disasters arising from dam failures and to ensure a more effective response in the event of such incidents, Mr. Chaudhary said.

Under the Dam Safety Act, 2021, a legal and institutional framework is to be developed for assessing the safety and actual condition of 24 dams located in the State. This framework will include Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Manuals to prevent disasters arising from dam failures and to ensure a more effective response in the event of such incidents.