GHATAL FLOOD BATTLE GETS ₹1,200-CRORE BOOST AS CENTRE SET TO SHARE PROJECT COST

October 1, 2026

The West Bengal government has announced a ₹1,200-crore allocation for the long-delayed Ghatal Master Plan, aimed at providing a comprehensive response to recurring floods across parts of Paschim and Purba Medinipur.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the Centre would bear 50 per cent of the project cost, with the state government financing the remaining share. The latest allocation is intended to accelerate implementation of the flood-control programme, which has faced repeated delays over several decades.

The Ghatal Master Plan is designed to reduce flooding through a combination of river dredging, strengthening and raising embankments, improving drainage channels and creating better routes for excess water to flow into the Rupnarayan river system.

The project is expected to cover 11 blocks and five municipalities across the two Medinipur districts, encompassing a large area that has frequently experienced severe waterlogging and flooding during the monsoon.

The plan has its origins in recommendations made decades ago, with the project subsequently undergoing multiple revisions because of rising costs, land-related issues and delays in obtaining necessary approvals and implementing various components.

The state government has now set an ambitious target of completing the project before the 2027 monsoon season. Work is expected to gather pace after Durga Puja, with land acquisition and other preparatory measures also being taken up.

The renewed funding arrangement is intended to move the Ghatal Master Plan towards faster execution and provide a long-term flood-management system for communities that have faced recurring inundation for generations.