Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced an allocation of ₹1,200 crore in the current financial year for the long-delayed Ghatal Master Plan, aimed at tackling recurring floods, drainage problems and river erosion in the Medinipur region.
The Centre will provide 50% of the funds, while the state government will bear the remaining cost, Adhikari said. He also said funds from the Disaster Management Department would be used for land procurement and directed local MLAs and officials to speed up implementation.
The announcement came during a programme at Birsingha in Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur, where the Chief Minister paid tributes to social reformer Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar on his 207th birth anniversary.
Major Ghatal Flood-Control Work Targeted by June
Adhikari said work under the Ghatal Master Plan would be taken forward after Durga Puja, when dry spells are expected to provide better conditions for construction.
He said a major portion of the work should be completed by June next year, ahead of the monsoon season. The Chief Minister also said the administration was working towards a permanent solution to the recurring flooding, river erosion and prolonged waterlogging affecting Ghatal and adjoining areas.
The Chief Minister conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas while travelling from Mohanpur to Birsingha by helicopter. He said the survey would help determine the steps required to move the flood-control work forward.
Several areas of Ghatal have recently faced flooding following heavy rainfall, increasing the urgency around drainage and water-management measures.
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What the Ghatal Master Plan Will Do
The Ghatal Master Plan is estimated to involve around ₹1,500 crore in total and is designed to reduce the impact of recurring floods by improving drainage and channelising excess water through canals and rivers towards the Rupnarayan River.
The plan covers 11 blocks and five municipalities across Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur districts. It spans five Assembly constituencies and three Lok Sabha constituencies, with the area covered by the plan estimated at around 1,659 sq km.
The project was originally estimated at only ₹50 crore. However, after remaining largely unimplemented for nearly five decades, its projected cost increased to around ₹1,500 crore.
The West Bengal Irrigation and Waterways Department has separately documented the long history of the project and its flood-management components, including river excavation, strengthening of embankments, regulators, pump houses, restoration work and land acquisition. The department says investment clearance for the earlier project proposal was given in 2022.
Land, Houses and Farmer Compensation
Alongside the master plan, the government has announced immediate measures for people affected by the recent floods.
Adhikari directed officials to prepare a detailed list of all kutcha houses in flood-affected areas. Each eligible household has been allocated ₹1.8 lakh for construction of a pucca house.
District magistrates will prepare the list with assistance from Block Development Officers. Local MLAs will cooperate in the process, while inputs from the police will also be taken.
The administration has also been instructed to record details of farmers whose crops have been damaged by flooding. The government has initiated steps to provide compensation to affected farmers.
These measures are intended to address both immediate losses and longer-term vulnerabilities in flood-prone communities.
Earlier Directions for Faster Implementation
The Ghatal Master Plan has also been discussed at administrative meetings involving officials from Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram.
At an administrative meeting in Kolaghat in June, Adhikari said he had held discussions with Ghatal Trinamool Congress MP Deepak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev, regarding the project.
He had also directed officials to make advance preparations for flooding and tackle the prolonged waterlogging experienced by residents of Ghatal and neighbouring flood-prone areas.
The latest ₹1,200-crore announcement puts a fresh financial push behind those directions, with the state now targeting substantial progress before the next monsoon.
CM Raises Education and Child Marriage Concerns
During his address, Adhikari also criticised the previous Trinamool Congress government over what he described as “faulty policies”.
He claimed that West Bengal had slipped to 31st position among states and Union territories in the education sector and said the state faced serious concerns over child marriage.
Adhikari claimed that West Bengal had around 60,000 adolescent mothers, including approximately 13,000 in Murshidabad and 9,000 in South 24 Parganas. He also said cases existed in Paschim Medinipur.
He said his government was working on reforms across sectors, including education and culture.
Birsingha to Get Tourism and Infrastructure Boost
The Chief Minister also announced a series of development measures for Birsingha, the birthplace of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
The government plans to develop the village as a major tourist destination and improve its basic infrastructure. The proposed works include wider roads, accommodation facilities for visitors, a museum, a library and better lighting.
Solar lights will be installed along village roads, while roads and the infrastructure of the local health centre will also be improved. Libraries in the area will be renovated as part of the development plan.
Adhikari said the objective was to make Birsingha an ideal destination that could attract visitors from across India.
Students Felicitated for Preventing Child Marriage
The Chief Minister also felicitated three students — Nupur Changre, Shreya Adhikari and Tanushree Samanta — for resisting attempts to marry them while they were minors.
According to Adhikari, the three students themselves prevented the attempts and chose to continue their education. He said their actions reflected the social reform ideals associated with Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
The event therefore combined the announcement of flood-control funding with measures covering housing, farmer support, tourism, infrastructure, education and social reform.
The ₹1,200-crore allocation now puts the long-pending Ghatal Master Plan at a critical implementation stage. With work expected to accelerate after Durga Puja and major components targeted before June 2027, the project could have a direct bearing on flood management and waterlogging in one of West Bengal’s repeatedly affected regions.
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