PM Modi lauds Bihar’s Kosi-Mochi river linking project at NITI Aayog meet
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was among the five chief ministers to skip the NITI Aayog governing council meeting. His absence has triggered fresh speculation in the state's political circles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 24 appreciated Bihar’s Kosi-Mochi river linking project and asked other states to take similar measures to interlink rivers in their respective states to tackle the frequent problems of water scarcity and floods.
Speaking at the 10th governing council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi, Modi asked states to work together in order to achieve the vision of developed India.
“PM encouraged States to Interlink Rivers within States to battle water scarcity as well as floods. He appreciated Bihar which has recently started Kosi-Mochi connection grid,” according to an official statement released after the meeting.
In March this year the Union Cabinet approved inclusion of Kosi Mechi Intra-State Link Project of Bihar under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (PMKSY-AIBP) of Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Kosi Mechi Intra-State Link Project envisages diversion of part of surplus water of Kosi river for extending irrigation to Mahananda basin lying in Bihar by way of remodelling of existing Eastern Kosi Main Canal (EKMC) and extending the EKMC beyond its tail end at RD 41.30 km up to river Mechi at RD 117.50 km so that rivers Kosi and Mechi which flow through Bihar could be linked together within Bihar.
The Link Project will provide 2,10,516 hectares additional annual irrigation in Kharif season in Araria, Purnea, Kishanganj and Katihar districts of Bihar. The project has potential to divert/utilize about 2,050 million cubic meter of surplus water of Kosi through the proposed link canal. Further, after remodelling of existing EKMC, shortfall supply to 1.57 lakh hectare existing command of existing Eastern Kosi Main Canal shall be restored.
NITI Aayog governing council is India’s highest federal body with representation of about 15 union cabinet ministers, besides the Prime Minister, and all chief ministers and lieutenant governors.
Briefing media, NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said during the meeting the Prime Minister asked states to create investment-friendly atmosphere by removing obsolete regulations.
“States are fundamental in industrial development, services, agriculture, and human capital. Without individual state visions, it’s like a bullock cart with only one bull – it won’t run,” Subrahmanyam said quoting the PM’s intervention at the meeting.
Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Jharkhand and Punjab complained about step-motherly treatment in allocation of central funds.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin pitched for increasing states’ share in the divisible pool of the central taxes to 50% from the current 41%.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar skips NITI Aayog meeting
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was among the five chief ministers to skip the NITI Aayog governing council meeting. His absence has triggered fresh speculation in the state’s political circles.
This is not the first time Kumar has missed a NITI Aayog meeting. He also skipped the 2023 governing council session. In 2024, the trend continued with Bihar being represented instead by deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha – both from the BJP.
The high-level meeting, held at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, was themed ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat @2047′. It brought together chief ministers, lieutenant governors and Union ministers to discuss long-term development strategies.
However, Kumar’s absence stood out, particularly as he leads a govt backed by the BJP. “The states which skipped the meeting were Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar and Puducherry,” NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam told reporters in Delhi.
A senior NDA leader said the CM, accompanied by senior officials, arrived in Delhi on Saturday afternoon, by which time the meeting was nearly over.
Despite the political curiosity his absence sparked, neither the chief minister’s office nor the Bihar govt offered any explanation on Saturday as to why the CM or the state refrained from attending.
Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar described Kumar’s decision as “significant. “His decision to skip it sends a major political message especially given that the meeting was chaired by the PM,” Anwar said.
RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said the CM’s absence suggested a shift in decision-making. “The NITI Aayog meeting is happening at a critical juncture. We heard that the CM is not attending. His priorities are set by other people these days,” Jha told reporters.
NDA chief ministers’ meet
NDA sources, however, confirmed that Kumar is expected to attend the meeting of chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of NDA-ruled states on May 25 to be chaired by PM Modi at the Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi.
The NDA gathering precedes the PM’s two-day visit to Bihar on May 29 and May 30, ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections. It is seen as politically significant for both Bihar and the NDA allies in the state.
Speaking about the NDA meeting, deputy CM Samrat Choudhary said, “The Centre is extending all possible assistance to Bihar and Nitish Kumar will thank the PM for it. Several people-friendly projects like Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali are ongoing in Bihar under the leadership of the CM and these will be discussed in the meeting. The state will also make a presentation at the meeting.”
