Key Highlights:
Bihar’s rivers, water resources and population should not be seen as weaknesses but transformed into the state’s greatest strengths for prosperity.
The 25-year-old dispute over the sharing of Son river water between Bihar and Jharkhand has been resolved with the assistance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Under the arrangement, Bihar will receive three-fourths of the water.
A state-level policy on Silt Management has been formulated. An agreement will be reached between the Bihar Government and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the removal and utilisation of silt. There is also a need to formulate a concrete policy at the national level.
Scientific management of water resources, expert recommendations and support from the Central Government will help Bihar reach new heights of development.
Patna, October 2026: Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary today participated in a one-day seminar on the theme “Ganga Water Treaty: Water Security of Bihar”, organised by the Water Resources Department at Hotel Chanakya in Patna. The Chief Minister formally inaugurated the programme by pouring water into a ceremonial urn.
Addressing the seminar, the Chief Minister said that Bihar’s rivers, water resources and population should not be considered the state's weaknesses; rather, they should be transformed into its greatest strengths. If the state succeeds in converting its weaknesses into strengths, no one can stop Bihar from becoming a prosperous state.
He said that adequate availability of water was extremely important for the overall development of Bihar, expansion of agriculture and industrial progress. The state requires water for drinking purposes, irrigation of farmers' fields and the functioning of industries. Bihar’s interests must receive the highest priority in matters related to the Ganga water and the Farakka agreement.
The Chief Minister said that the nearly 25-year-old dispute over the sharing of Son river water between Bihar and Jharkhand had been resolved with the assistance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Under the arrangement, Bihar would receive three-fourths (3/4) of the water. This was an important achievement towards better management of the state's water resources.
He said that the state government had formulated a state-level policy on Silt Management. Scientific removal and utilisation of silt coming from the Ganga and other rivers would be ensured. Efforts would be made to make the silt and soil from the Ganga available for public use and for road construction and other infrastructure projects. For this purpose, an agreement would be reached between the Bihar Government and the NHAI in the coming days. At the same time, there was a need to formulate a concrete policy on silt management at the national level as well.
Emphasising the construction and strengthening of embankments along the Ganga, the Chief Minister said that it was necessary to understand the river's flow and management scientifically and take measures accordingly. Experts participating in the seminar should be provided with an aerial survey of the Ganga so that they could directly assess the river's actual condition, flow and silt accumulation and offer effective suggestions.
He said that Bihar's rivers were a source of immense opportunities for the state. Proper management of their water and silt could create new opportunities in agriculture, industry, infrastructure and employment. The state government aimed to provide employment and job opportunities to one crore people. Better utilisation of water resources would also play an important role in achieving this target.
He said that the government's resolve was to make Bihar's rivers the foundation of the state's economic prosperity. Scientific management of water resources, expert recommendations and support from the Central Government would help Bihar reach new heights of development.
At the programme, Water Resources Department Secretary Dr Chandrashekhar Singh welcomed the Chief Minister by presenting him with a green plant, an angavastram and a memento. The Chief Minister also released a souvenir prepared on the subject of water security. During the programme, a short film based on floods and water management was screened.
The programme was also addressed by Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and MP Sanjay Kumar Jha.
On the occasion, Chief Minister's Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh, Water Resources Department Secretary Dr Chandrashekhar Singh, water experts from various fields, engineers, senior officials and eminent persons were present.
