Bihar begins ‘river census’ to identify, rejuvenate dead rivers

The Bihar government has initiated a statewide 'river census' to identify dead and nearly dead rivers, and prepare a plan for their rejuvenation, a state minister said on Thursday. The announcement was made during Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary's budget speech for the department in the assembly. The assembly also passed the department's Rs 7,127.35-crore budget for the 2026-27 fiscal by voice vote. Choudhary said many rivers in the state require urgent restoration, and the department is committed to preserving and reviving them. ''In this regard, a 'River Census' is being prepared on the basis of 'ground truth verification' for all small, large, and dead or nearly dead rivers within the state,'' he said. He said detailed documentation is being undertaken for rivers that have lost their original form due to encroachment, dried up due to lack of water, or become defunct owing to silt deposition. The minister also said participation of village heads at the panchayat level is being ensured so that even the smallest river is covered under the exercise. A five-member high-level committee comprising retired chief engineers and senior engineers has been constituted to oversee the process, he said. The panel will conduct field visits, assess the actual condition of rivers and submit a report to the department. Based on the findings, an action plan will be prepared and implemented for rejuvenation, Choudhary said. He also informed the House that Bihar and Jharkhand have reached an in-principle agreement on sharing of water from the Son river. As per the agreement, of the 7.75 million acre-feet (MAF) allocated to undivided Bihar, 5.75 MAF will go to Bihar and 2 MAF to Jharkhand, he said. The decision will facilitate implementation of the long-pending Indrapuri Reservoir Project and help provide irrigation facilities in Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Patna, Gaya and Arwal districts, the minister added.