Shivhar: A long-cherished dream of the residents of Shivhar district in Bihar came true on Sunday when Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary formally inaugurated the Minapur-Belwaghat link channel at Belwaghat in Piprahi block. The project, costing Rs 130.88 crore, is a significant step towards flood management and irrigation. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, and several other ministers and legislators were present at the event.

During the ceremony, the Chief Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 40 other development projects worth approximately Rs 200 crore. He inspected various government department stalls to understand the ground reality of the schemes.

Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary stated that this project fulfills the vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's river interlinking campaign, now realized under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He emphasized that the project would provide new direction to flood management, irrigation capacity, and the scientific use of water resources, leading to increased agricultural productivity for farmers and the creation of new employment opportunities.

This 68.80-kilometer-long Belwa-Minapur Link Channel (Belwadhar), extending from Belwa in Shivhar to Minapur in Muzaffarpur, is part of the Bagmati-Burhi Gandak River Link Project. It will divert excess water from the Bagmati River into the Burhi Gandak River, thereby preventing floods and providing water for irrigation to farmers. This marks Bihar's first river interlinking scheme.

A special highlight of the event was the entrepreneurship of women from Jeevika self-help groups. The Chief Minister presented a check of Rs 25.35 crore to 4,550 Jeevika groups, marking another strong step towards women empowerment. The district administration had made extensive arrangements for the Chief Minister's visit, with the entire area resembling a fortified camp.