New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) Union Minister Uma Bharti on Tuesday appreciated the progress in construction of the Sapta Kosi dam which is expected to offer a reprieve from recurrent droughts and floods to the people of Bihar.

"There has been a remarkable progress in the construction of Sapta Kosi high dam. I am sure that once the construction is over, Bihar will get a reprieve from drought as well as the flurry of floods in future," Uma Bharti, union minister for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, told reporters in the capital.

"Still in some areas flood relief majors are urgently needed for the protection from flood. For this, all the proposals sent by Bihar government have been approved," she said.

She said keeping in view the plight of people in Bihar for the forced consumption of arsenic contaminated water, the Central Ground Water Board had constructed 28 deep bore wells in the state to provide arsenic free water and have handed them over to the state health engineering department.

Uma Bharati further said the National Water Development Authority was working steadfastly and a major scheme for Kosi-Mechi and Burhee-Gandak Ganga link project had been chalked out for the implementation.

"These projects will benefit farmers of Bihar residing in nearly 3.30 lakh square hectare area," she added.