Flood control project for Bengal districts cleared

Kolkata: The long-pending drainage basin project involving the Kaliaghai, Kapaleswari and Baghai rivers in the flood-prone East and West Midnapore districts has got the green signal.

The Rs 650.38-crore project for the two districts, which are struck by calamity almost every monsoon, was recently inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had taken a keen interest in its implementation.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was also present on the occasion.

The Rs 650.38-crore project for two districts, which are struck by calamity almost every monsoon, was recently inaugurated by Mamata.

The state's irrigation minister, Manas Bhuniya, said, "The project will provide immense benefit to nearly 30 lakh people in the two districts by preventing inundation of their land."

The minister said that the Centre would bear 75 per cent of the cost for the project, which is expected to be completed in three years, and the state government the rest.

The project would also raise agricultural productivity in the entire catchment area, he said.

The project, which will be commissioned in phases, was formulated in 2000.

The Ministry of Water Resources had approved the project in January, 2010 and the Planning Commission gave the investment clearance two months later.

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