PURNEA, Aug. 20 -- Chief minister Samrat Choudhary conducted an inspection of the ongoing work of the Kosi-Mechi intra-state link project at Chainpur on Wednesday. He held a high-level meeting with officials and reviewed the progress of the project. He directed officials to expedite the work of the ambitious project. The Kosi-Mechi project is a major water management scheme in Bihar. It links Kosi river with Mechi river, a tributary of Mahananda, joining Mahananda in Kishanganj, by remodelling and extending the Eastern Kosi Main Canal. The Rs.6,282.32 crore project has been included under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana- Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP). It is scheduled for completion by March 2029 aiming to irrigate 2.15 lakh hectares of land. The remodelling work of Eastern Kosi Main Canal up to 41.30 km has been taken up to extend it further to link with Mechi river at 117.5 km. As far as physical progress of the project is concerned, about 8.5% of work has so far been completed. The project is believed to divert 250 million cubic metres of surplus Kosi water into the water deficient Mahananda basin directly benefitting the Seemanchal region comprising Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar districts. The project once completed is believed to reduce the intensity and impact of seasonal floods in flood-prone Seemanchal....