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The Brahmaputra is a mighty river which carries a discharge of 3500 to 5000 cumecs even during the dry season. Much of this water is beyond the requirement limit of the basin and is wasted. On the other hand, there is a scarcity of water in the lower Ganga basin, especially during the dry months. Hence, the diversion of excess water from the Brahmaputra to the Ganga may meet this water deficit, which shall help in the economic development of the region.
The Brahmaputra-Ganga Link Canal Project involves the construction of a diversion barrage at Dhubri (Lower Assam), and a 320 km long feeder canal linking the Dhubri Barrage to the Farakka Barrage. A portion of this feeder canal will lie in Bangladesh for which an interenational agreement between India and Bangladesh has to be signed. This canal will provide irrigatioin water to Bangladesh also. The canal may augment the flow of water in the Padma River (Ganga in Bangladesh) during the lean months of the year. Besides, the link canal would provide cheap inland navigation facility to both the countries. Due to lack of concurrence from Bangladesh and involvement of huge financial expenditure, the scheme has not yet been started.