**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to Unstarred Question No. 911 in Lok Sabha, addressed on December 4, 2025, concerning land erosion along the banks of the Ganga River in Bihar. The Minister of Jal Shakti provides details about the government's awareness of the erosion, studies conducted, and flood management programs. The document indicates the state government has not sent any proposals to control erosion from Kursela to Manihari in Bihar.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Erosion Impact:**
* Villages in Manihari, Burari, and Kursela blocks in Katihar district along the Ganga are affected by soil erosion due to floods.
* **Studies and Assessments:**
* IIT Roorkee conducted a morphological study of the Ganga River using remote sensing to assess bank-line movement, erosion, and deposition.
* The study results have been shared with State Governments and stakeholders for informed decision-making and future planning.
* **Flood Management Programs:**
* Flood management and anti-erosion schemes are formulated and implemented by State Governments, with the Union Government supplementing efforts through technical guidance and financial assistance.
* The Union Government implemented the Flood Management Programme (FMP) during XI & XII Plans, providing central assistance to States.
* FMP continued as a component of the "Flood Management and Border Areas Programme" (FMBAP).
* 48 flood management projects with an estimated cost of Rs. 1866.50 Cr. have been included for central funding under FMP component of FMBAP scheme.
* Central assistance amounting to Rs. 924.40 Cr. has been released to the Government of Bihar.
* **State Proposal:**
* No proposal to control erosion from Kursela to Manihari in Bihar on Ganga River has been received from the State Government.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Government of Bihar**
* **Impact:** Responsible for formulating and implementing flood management and anti-erosion schemes. Receives technical guidance and financial assistance from the Union Government.
* **Action Required:** To submit a proposal to control the erosion from Kursela to Manihari in Bihar on the Ganga River.
**Residents of Manihari, Burari, and Kursela blocks in Katihar district**
* **Impact:** Suffer from soil erosion due to floods affecting their homes and livelihoods.
* **Action Required:** None specified in the document.
**IIT Roorkee**
* **Impact:** Has performed a morphological study of the Ganga River.
* **Action Required:** None specified in the document.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The central ministry responsible for the subject matter of the parliamentary question and answer, specifically related to water resources.
Flood Management Programme (FMP): A centrally sponsored scheme implemented during XI & XII Plans for providing central assistance to States for works related to flood control, anti-erosion, etc.
Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP): A continuation of the FMP, encompassing flood management and border area development projects.
Bihar: The state where land erosion along the banks of Ganga River is the subject of the question.
Ganga River: The river along which erosion is occurring, impacting villages in Bihar.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 911
ANSWERED ON 04.12.2025
LAND EROSION ALONG BANKS OF GANGA RIVER IN BIHAR
†911. SHRI RAJESH RANJAN:
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that several villages along the banks of the Ganga river including
those from Kursela to Manihari in Bihar have been washed away due to erosion caused by recent floods in
the river;
(b) if so, whether the Government has identified the erosion-prone sites along the Ganga river and
formulated any action plan to prevent further erosion; and
(c) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (c) As per information received from State Government of Bihar, villages in Manihari, Burari and
Kursela blocks in Katihar district along river Ganga, are affected by soil erosion caused due to floods.
Morphological study of Ganga river has been carried out by IIT Roorkee using remote sensing
technique. This study play an important role in understanding the nature of rivers in a comprehensive
manner and provide assessment of decadal bank-line movement, erosion and deposition in different reaches
in respect of base year and identification of critical reaches. These studies have been shared with concerned
State Governments and other stakeholders etc. for taking informed decision and future planning.
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.
Union Government had implemented a centrally sponsored scheme, namely, Flood Management
Programme (FMP) during XI & XII Plans for providing central assistance to States for works related to
flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, anti-sea erosion, etc. which subsequently continued as a
component of "Flood Management and Border Areas Programme" (FMBAP). Total 48 flood management
projects with an estimated cost of Rs. 1866.50 Cr. have been included for central funding under
FMP component of FMBAP scheme, out of which central assistance amounting to Rs. 924.40 Cr. has been
released to Govt. of Bihar.
No proposal to control the erosion from Kursela to Manihari in Bihar on Ganga river has been
received from the State Government.
****