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Question 76 of 131 · Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India
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SSC

The Farakka Barrage, built on the Ganga, is located in which district of West Bengal?

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Answer: Option D — Murshidabad

Detailed Solution

The Farakka Barrage is built across the Ganga at Farakka in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, about 16 to 18 km from the Bangladesh border.

Purpose of the barrage:

  • It diverts part of the Ganga's water into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly river through a 38 to 40 km long feeder canal.
  • This increases the flow in the Hooghly during the dry season, helping to flush out silt and keep the Kolkata port navigable.
  • It also helps supply drinking water to Kolkata and nearby areas.

Key facts:

  • The barrage is about 2.24 km long, with over 100 gates.
  • Construction began in 1961, and it was completed in 1975.
  • A road and rail bridge runs over the barrage, connecting northern and southern West Bengal and the north-east with the rest of India.
  • The Farakka Super Thermal Power Station of NTPC is located nearby.

Impact on Bangladesh:

  • The diversion reduced the flow of the Ganga (Padma) into Bangladesh during the dry season, which affected agriculture, fisheries and navigation there and increased salinity in its south-western region.
  • This led to a long dispute, resolved for the time being by the Ganga Water Treaty of 1996, which is due for renewal in 2026.

Problems:

  • The barrage has been blamed for increased siltation upstream in Bihar, which some say worsens floods there.
  • Riverbank erosion in Malda and Murshidabad districts has displaced many people.

Murshidabad:

  • Murshidabad was the capital of Bengal under the Nawabs in the 18th century, named after Nawab Murshid Quli Khan.
  • The famous Hazarduari Palace is located there.
  • The Battle of Plassey (1757) was fought at Palashi, in present-day Nadia district, close to Murshidabad.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Malda lies across the Ganga, to the north of Farakka.
  • ✗Nadia and Hooghly are districts farther south in West Bengal.

Quick tip

Remember: Farakka Barrage (1975) = Ganga, in Murshidabad district (West Bengal); diverts water to the Hooghly to save Kolkata port.

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Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India's drainage system: the Himalayan rivers (the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems), the peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi and Mahanadi), their tributaries and origins, waterfalls, lakes, and the major dams and multipurpose river projects. Exams ask about the origin of a river, its tributaries, the cities on its banks, and the river on which a dam is built. For example, the Bhakra Nangal Dam is on the Sutlej, the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi, and the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada. Remember that the Narmada and Tapi flow west into the Arabian Sea, while most peninsular rivers flow east. Practise the rivers, lakes and dams of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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