- Why in news
- On 27 July 2026, the Jal Shakti Ministry told Rajya Sabha that the Kosi–Mechi link is under PMKSY-AIBP with central assistance of Rs 3,652.56 crore, due by March 2029.
- What it is
- The Kosi–Mechi Intra-State Link links the Kosi river with the Mechi river within Bihar. It aims to carry Kosi water to irrigate areas in the Mahananda basin. It is funded under the PMKSY-AIBP, a central scheme that supports priority irrigation projects.
- Funding
- Balance cost of works is Rs 6,143.22 crore, with central assistance of Rs 3,652.56 crore under PMKSY-AIBP.
- Timeline
- The project is due for completion by March 2029.
- Joint Project Office
- JPO-SKSKI was set up in 2003 to prepare DPRs for the Sapta-Kosi and Sun-Kosi Kamla Diversion projects.
- Flood aid
- Bihar received Rs 206.77 crore over three years under the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme.
- Indo-Nepal committee
- No meeting of the Indo-Nepal Joint Committee was held in 2025-26.
Don’t confuse with Intra-state vs inter-state link: Kosi–Mechi lies wholly within Bihar; inter-state links such as Ken–Betwa cross state borders.
Don’t confuse with PMKSY-AIBP vs FMBAP: AIBP funds irrigation projects; the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme funds flood control and anti-erosion works.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Can extend irrigation to flood-prone and water-short parts of Bihar.
- Diverting Kosi water may ease flood pressure.
Problems
- Only 8.5% physical progress against a 2029 target.
- Kosi flooding needs cooperation with Nepal, and the Indo-Nepal Joint Committee did not meet in 2025-26.
Way forward
- Speed up canal works and track milestones.
- Revive the Indo-Nepal Joint Committee and finish the DPRs.
Put in your answer
Project cost: Balance cost Rs 6,143.22 crore, with central assistance of Rs 3,652.56 crore.
Cooperation gap: No Indo-Nepal Joint Committee meeting in 2025-26.
- 2017Mains GS1 · Q16How floods can become sustainable irrigation and all-weather navigation source
- 2020Mains GS1 · Q14Critically examine whether river interlinking solves droughts, floods, and navigation problems
- 2017Mains GS3 · Q8Discuss advantages of river linking and its environmental impact
- 2024Prelims Q6Sequence of Himalayan rivers joining Ganga west to east, including Kosi
- 2026Prelims Q61Which statements on bridges to Nepal and Bangladesh are correct, including Mechi bridge
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Single answer
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements about the Kosi–Mechi Intra-State Link Project: 1. It has been included under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana – Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP). 2. It is an inter-state link project between Bihar and Nepal. 3. It is scheduled for completion by March 2029. 4. The Joint Project Office for the Sapta-Kosi and Sun-Kosi Kamla Diversion projects was constituted in 2013.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
True or false?
1 of 6
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The Kosi–Mechi Intra-State Link Project has been included under PMKSY-AIBP.
True. It is under PMKSY-AIBP.
2.The project is scheduled for completion by March 2029.
True. Target date is March 2029.
3.The Joint Project Office was mandated to prepare Detailed Project Reports for the Sapta-Kosi and Sun-Kosi Kamla Diversion projects.
True. Its mandate is DPR preparation.
4.The Government of India is considering a permanent Kosi-Gandak basin authority.
False. No such proposal is under consideration.
5.The Kosi–Mechi link is an inter-state link project between Bihar and Nepal.
False. It is an intra-state project within Bihar.
6.The Kosi river is a tributary of the Ganga that rises in Tibet and flows through Nepal before entering Bihar.
True. Kosi rises in Tibet, flows through Nepal, joins the Ganga in Bihar.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.