Patna: Deputy CM and water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the Ganga Flood Control Commission (GFCC) headquarters will continue to function from Patna, following a decision at the 19th meeting of the Ganga Flood Control Board in Delhi on Tuesday.Union jal shakti minister C R Patil, who chaired the meeting, directed that the GFCC headquarters remain at its original location. West Bengal CM Shubhendu Adhikari and Uttar Pradesh minister Swatantra Dev Singh supported Choudhary’s demand.Choudhary said the GFCC headquarters had been in Patna since its establishment in 1972 and shifting it to Delhi would delay approvals for Bihar’s flood-control projects.He urged the Centre to approve proposals under the Flood Management Programme and River Management and Border Area Programme within fixed timelines. Bihar plans to submit proposals by December-end, seeking approvals by February-end.Choudhary also flagged rising riverbeds and reduced water-carrying capacity due to silt accumulation, warning that unchecked siltation was worsening floods.He sought a national policy on silt management, citing Bihar’s Water Resource Restoration and Silt Management Policy 2026.
