GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 722
ANSWERED ON 24.07.2025
GHATAL MASTER PLAN
722. SHRI ADHIKARI DEEPAK DEV
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Union Government has communicated with the State Government of West Bengal
regarding external assistance from...
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 722 ANSWERED ON 24.07.2025 GHATAL MASTER PLAN
722. SHRI ADHIKARI DEEPAK DEV
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Union Government has communicated with the State Government of West Bengal regarding external assistance from Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank and other agencies to finance Ghatal Master Plan;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the reasons for not making the provision/approval from the Budget for the said project? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (c) A flood management project of West Bengal namely, Phase-I works of Ghatal Master Plan in Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts of West Bengal was considered by Advisory Committee of Department of Water Resource, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation under Ministry of Jal Shakti in its 136th meeting held on 6th June, 2018 and accepted for its techno-economic viability at an estimated cost of Rs. ₹1238.95 crore (price level 2017). Subsequently, based on recommendations of Investment Clearance Committee of DoWR, RD & GR in its 17th meeting held on 10.06.2022, the project has been accorded investment clearance.
Flood management and anti-erosion schemes are formulated and implemented by concerned State Governments as per their priority. The Union Government supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical guidance and also promotional financial assistance for management of floods in critical areas. Ghatal Master Plan has not been included under Flood Management Programme (FMP) component of Flood Management and Border Area Programme (FMBAP) during 2021-26 due its limited outlay of Rs 300 crore for the inclusion of new critical flood management projects and also not fulfilling the criteria for inclusion, namely, 'Projects from only those States may be included who have implemented Flood Plain Zoning (FPZ) either through a legislation or through an appropriate Executive Order'. Government of West Bengal has been advised that, if they want, they may explore possibilities of availing of external assistance.
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