Bihar Launches India's First Comprehensive Silt Management Policy Under 'Nadi Sanjeevani' Initiative

Key facts

• Bihar became the first state in India to implement a comprehensive silt management policy, announced by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
• The policy, named the 'Bihar Water Source Restoration and Silt Management Policy 2026', aims to address recurring floods and use accumulated river silt for infrastructure development.
• The announcement was made at an MoU signing event for the 'Nadi Sanjeevani' initiative in the presence of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
• Under the policy, farmers affected by silt deposition will receive Rs 20,000 per two hectares for excavation.
• At the Odhni Dam in Banka district, a private contractor offered to pay the government Rs 60 crore for desilting, converting a potential Rs 350 crore expenditure into revenue.
• Seven major rivers entering Bihar from Nepal contribute to its floods; this year three major rivers reached peak flood levels despite a 32% rainfall deficit.