Western Kosi Canal Project In Mithilanchal – IMPRI Impact And Policy Research Institute

Policy Update
Omkar Shelar

Introduction

Union Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman Ji took a significant move forward to boost agricultural harvest yield in Bihar during her 2025-26 Budget speech. The 2025-26 Budget speech of Nirmala Sitharaman Ji included budgetary support for the execution of Western Kosi Canal ERM (extension renovation and modification) Project. Fund support from the budget will enable the Western Kosi Canal ERM (extension, renovation, and modification) Project to deliver benefits to multiple farmers cultivating more than 50000 hectares of land.

Professional farmers grow crops on more than 50 thousand hectares of land throughout the Mithilanchal region in Bihar. The West Kosi Canal ERM Project undertakes an expansion program to enhance the existing canal infrastructure which will enable effective agricultural water supply.  

The project is a very critical step in dealing with long-standing issues such as increased flooding from the Kosi River, which causes water logging and damages crops, together with outdated irrigation infrastructure that impedes the supply of water and hampers crop yields. Modernized irrigation systems and improved security of water availability in combination with flood prevention will ensure project objectives are met. It will enhance agricultural productivity while assisting farmers in the country and promoting economic growth in the region.

Source : https://www.shortparagraph.com/river/paragraph-on-kosi-river-project-of-india/1135 

Historical Background

The Western Kosi Canal Scheme falls under the framework of the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program. In 1961, the alignment of the canal was approved by the Government of Nepal, but progress was delayed due to opposition from local villagers and the need for revised agreements between India and Nepal. The project expansion requires Rs 803 crore for building a main canal extending 91.83 kilometers in length. 

Challenges faced by the projects

• The Western Kosi Canal together with the Kosi Project components continued to face significant cost overruns. The initial project cost  increased when employees and materials expenditures along with necessary infrastructure escalated. 
• The construction of the canal demanded partnership from the Government of Nepal for determining its alignment direction. Delays occurred because the Government of Nepal needed to participate in the process which slowed down the completion of project details and hindered approval acquisition. 
• The Kosi River regularly moves its path and brings substantial amounts of soil that creates continuous technical issues. The project faced ongoing maintenance issues because of which dedicated continuous oversight was needed to preserve the venture. 

Analysis

The Western Kosi Canal Extension Renovation and Modernization (ERM) Project is a key strategic development project focused on irrigation and flood management across Bihar’s Mithilanchal territory.  

The project offers promising potential although various implementation barriers  from bureaucracy affect the sustainability of the project. All these issues demand critical analysis for the project to succeed. 

A. Climatic & Environmental Challenges

The Kosi River has a long history of frequent and unpredictable flooding, earning the moniker “Sorrow of Bihar Key issues include:    

1. Preventing Failures Inwards Embankment
    The hazardous events have shown very clearly that weak embankments cannot withstand the real pressures of water; hence floods become destructive, causing widespread destruction of city and farmland. Planning flood control measures, however, would mean providing embankments with proper construction materials, setting up automatic flood warning systems, and making regular inspections.
2. Tackling Waterlogging and Deterioration of Soil
   The union of ineffectual drainage systems and poorly functioning water flow through the embankments leads to the formation of large water basins that are detrimental to crop growth and lower the fertility of agricultural soil. Improvement of drainage systems, sustainable irrigation processes, and planting of more greenery helps in curtailing the excessive accumulation of water.
3. Enhancing Flood Storage Capacity
   The absence of sufficient storage areas throughout numerous regions causes excessive rainfall to turn into disastrous floods. To reduce flood damage along with controlled water level management communities should implement reservoir expansion programs while building additional floodplain storage areas and conducting river diversion control projects.

B. Deposition of Silt and Sediments 

1. The Himalayan region delivers extensive sediment to the Kosi River which creates substantial difficulties in maintaining its structures. Various experts have already studied this matter. Observations reveal that river siltation has become a serious problem because high sediment amounts collect within the Kosi which leads to riverbed elevation and lowers the barrage discharge by 1 to 1.5 meters. The government currently works to find solutions against siltation. The process of removing silt from sediment collects proves to be extremely challenging. 
2. The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) conducted a research study about Kosi’s siltation issue that details how the river crosses Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga as well as passess the Himalayas’ eastern-central regions before entering Nepal and India’s alluvial region. The Kosi operates as a highly mobile and sedimentary waterway. Managing sediments flowing from this river proves to be challenging. High sediment numbers according to the report lead to dangerous river phenomena which cause floods together with channel movements in the downstream areas.

C. Effects of Changing Climate

 The impact of climate change on precipitation patterns and glacial melt rates It can impact water availability and flood effects.

1. Routinely unfavorable rainy seasons: This can result in prolonged drought followed by heavy rainfall (an extremely disruptive pattern of water management and farming practices). Excessive rainfall at short intervals can completely dominate the existing drainage infrastructure leading to severe waterlogging and crop loss.
2. Increased Extreme Weather Events Rising global temperatures have made it more likely for there to be cyclones, storms and unusually heavy rainfall also increase the risk of flooding and make planning of infrastructure difficult, thus requiring adaptive policies like climate-resilient infrastructure and stronger flood early warning systems.
3. Long-term Water Scarcity Risks Variability in rainfall distribution may lead to prolonged dry spells periods. 

More importantly, excessive reliance on monsoon water resources might become increasingly unsustainable and a need to produce alternatives to monsoon storage and conservation must be made.

Policy Recommendations

Eco-Friendly Flood Management

1. Reviving Natural Wetlands : 
   1. Reviving Natural Wetlands is an effective natural flood management technique. Wetlands act as sponges – they absorb excess water and restore groundwater storage. This way Bihar can offer more flood resilience to the area. 
   2. There are some degraded wetlands on the Kosi River to be identified and restored. These can be done by using eco-friendly techniques like reforestation, controlled water flow management and community-led conservation. A combination of this and community engagement is the key to success for these efforts. 
   3. The Vembanad – Kol wetland system of Kerala has a long and impressive history. The large complex of wetland basin supports rich biodiversity, providing income to more than 0. 2 million households through backwater tourism, inland navigation and fishing. 
   4. Wetland restoration has been done using a number of methods including reforestation of shrub and tree woodland, controlled flow management and reforestation of peat islands to support the ecosystem and watershed management. 
   5. A significant contribution has been made by local communities in this regard in order to preserve the wetland ecosystem and enhance the local livelihood. 
   6. Bihar can learn from the experience in Kerala and improve flood resilience by restoring wetlands along the Kosi floodplains. These can be used to provide natural flood buffers that mitigate flood risks while also supporting biodiversity and water security. An example is also used in the Netherlands’ “Room for the River” project that reduced flood hazards through wetland restoration.
2. Riparian Planting and Green Buffers : 
   1. One way to prevent flooding along the Kosi River is by planting indigenous flood-resistant plants, which can maintain the stability of riverbanks, prevent soil erosion and provide water retention, reducing the effects of heavy rainfall and flooding.
   2. Planting flood-resistant vegetation along embankments and flood-prone areas can help to strengthen these areas against water currents, and therefore increase their resilience to extreme weather events. 
   3. We also need to enforce anti-deforestation policies, as deforestation increases soil erosion and weakens natural flood defences. Promoting agroforestry (planting trees and crops together) can help protect farmland while empowering local communities.
   4. In Odisha a good example of this has been the Mahanadi River Basin Program in Odisha which has implemented mangrove plantations and natural embankments to prevent floods. 
   5. Bihar can also take lessons from this by adopting a similar approach involving integration of flood tolerant vegetation, agroforestry and community based afforestation programs in floodplains of Kosi River and these will help to prevent flood damage, protect soil health, and invent a long term solution to the problems arising from floods in this region.
3. Outcome-Driven Contracts for Contractors : 

1. India has conducted energy efficiency projects through energy service companies (ESCOs) at various places including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The performance based contracts were used to upgrade public infrastructure, industrial operations and urban utilities. In such projects, the payments are tied to completed projects on a milestone basis so that they are made consistent with a high degree of efficiency and good quality execution. 
2. The penalties for delaying, overpaying or doing things which are not up to the standard are also part and parcel of the contract. This model is ideal for Bihar’s Western Kosi Canal Project, to make irrigation efficient and efficient water management more sustainable. 
3. With clearly defined energy saving targets and strict accountability measures, the project can be completed on time and with low cost and long-term sustainability.
4. Integrating all these ideas will help in optimizing energy use of the project as well as strengthening resilience to infrastructure for the local people and agricultural sector. Another important aspect is that the payment should be linked to the progress on a particular section of the project i. e. flood mitigation structures and environmental compliance. 
5. Different kinds of audits by third parties will be carried out before disbursement of funds and contractors will be required to submit periodic progress reports to ensure audit and accountability.

Conclusion

The Western Kosi Canal Extension, Renovation and Modernization (ERM) Project is the biggest milestone towards improving irrigation efficiency and flood management in Mithilanchal region of Bihar. However, existing constraints like embankment failure, waterlogging, silt deposition and climate change also have to be resolved for the project to be fully implemented.

Eco-friendly flood management approaches such as restoration of wetlands and planting of trees in riparian areas can also be undertaken to achieve natural flood resilience. Such interventions can also improve biodiversity. Performance-based contracts between contractors can be developed to bring about timely implementation, cost recovery and sustainability in the long run. Taking lessons from Kerala’s wetland conservation and Odisha’s afforestation programmes can help Bihar.

Furthermore, climate resilient infrastructure, early warning systems and adaptive water storage mechanisms will provide protection against the risks of extreme weather events. Through sound policy development, Government support and community participation, the Western Kosi Canal ERM Project can transform agricultural productivity, reduce flood risk and promote economic growth of the region.

By making sustainable and science-based approaches, Bihar can provide a strong irrigation network which will not only protect farmers’ livelihood but also create a long-term water security policy and disaster resilience.

References

About the Contributor: Omkar Shelar is a policy researcher at IMPRI and a postgraduate student of Public Policy and Governance at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad with a keen interest in Data driven policy making and analysis. 

Acknowledgement: The author extends sincere gratitude to Dr Arjun Kumar and Aasthaba Jadeja for their invaluable guidance and support.

Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.

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