Patna, Oct 28 (PTI) The Bihar government on Tuesday decided to complete a comprehensive safety assessment of dams across the state within eight months to strengthen flood preparedness, officials said.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary here.
The cabinet approved a proposal of the Water Resources Department to conduct the assessment, which will include hydrographic and sediment surveys to evaluate reservoir storage capacity, checks on spillway discharge capacity under revised flood conditions and hydrological safety assessments.
The exercise will also include dam-break analysis to map potential inundation zones in the event of a dam failure. Emergency Action Plans will be prepared for each dam in coordination with district administrations and disaster management agencies, according to the approved proposal.
Operations and Maintenance Manuals will also be developed to standardise dam inspections, monitoring, maintenance and emergency response procedures, officials said.
The initiative aims to address sediment accumulation and monsoon-related flood risks while improving dam safety and water resources management across the state, they said.
The cabinet also approved a Rs 11,096.55-crore plan to strengthen Bihar’s low-tension (LT) electricity distribution network over the next three years amid a sharp rise in power demand.
Peak electricity demand in the state has increased from 1,802 MW in 2012 to 9,475 MW, putting pressure on the existing distribution infrastructure, according to the Energy Department’s proposal, officials said.
LT aerial bundled cables and distribution transformers installed under earlier schemes have become overloaded, necessitating capacity augmentation, they said.
Under the scheme, LT cable capacity will be expanded and overloaded distribution transformers upgraded in areas served by the state’s two power distribution companies to ensure a reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply.
The cabinet also authorised North Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd (NBPDCL) and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd (SBPDCL) to raise funds from financial institutions and banks with a state government guarantee.
NBPDCL will be allowed to raise Rs 6,066 crore, while SBPDCL will secure Rs 5,030.55 crore for implementing the scheme, officials said.
The cabinet further approved the MSME Policy 2026, which aims to turn one crore families into entrepreneurs and generate one crore direct and indirect employment opportunities over the next five years.
Built around the vision of “One Crore Entrepreneurial Families — The Foundation of a Prosperous Bihar”, the policy was issued by the Industries Department on October 8 before receiving cabinet approval.
It also aims to raise the state’s credit-deposit ratio to 75 per cent, establish at least one industrial cluster in every district and set up MSME centres across all 38 districts.
The cabinet also approved a proposal to implement the Bio-Fuel and Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) Production Promotion Policy, 2026, aimed at boosting clean energy production and promoting a circular economy.
The Industries Department has been designated as the nodal agency for the policy, with the Director of Industries appointed as the nodal officer.
The policy seeks to promote bio-fuel and CBG projects through the scientific utilisation of agricultural residues, animal waste, municipal solid waste and press mud.
Project registration, production, feedstock use, organic manure output and employment generation will be monitored through the Single Window Portal and the CBG Management Information System (MIS), according to the proposal.
The cabinet also granted administrative approval for a feasibility study, estimated to cost Rs 18.21 crore, for developing underground road corridors in Patna.
The study will examine the feasibility of underground routes connecting various parts of the city, including R Block Crossing to Kankarbagh and Dakbungalow Crossing to Patna Women’s College, as well as other important locations. PTI PKD SOM
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