STATUS OF NATIONAL RIVERS INTERLINKING PROGRAMME

By — Shyamal Sinha

Government of India formulated the National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Inter-Basin Water Transfer and 30 Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) Projects were identified under NPP (16 link projects under the Peninsular component and 14 link projects under the Himalayan component). National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has been entrusted with the work of ILR. The present status of all 30 ILR projects is at Annexure.

The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is the only priority link project under the NPP that has entered the implementation stage. The project, with an estimated cost of ₹44,605 crore, is envisaged to provide irrigation to about 11.88 lakh hectares, drinking water supply to about 62 lakh people, 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.

In addition, the Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP), which incorporates the Godavari (Polavaram)–Krishna (Vijayawada) link, stands classified as a National Project and is executed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Polavaram Project Authority (PPA). The project envisages irrigation to about 7.2 lakh acres and stabilization of 23.5 lakh acres in the Godavari and Krishna delta systems, diversion of 80 TMC of Godavari water to the Krishna basin, drinking and industrial water supply including to Visakhapatnam, domestic water supply to about 28.5 lakh population in 611 villages, and hydropower generation of 960 MW. The Polavaram Irrigation Project has received cumulative Central Assistance of ₹20,658 crore.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) forms part of the preparation of Feasibility Reports (FRs) and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for every Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) project, with assessment of environmental and socio‑economic impacts. For the Ken–Betwa Link Project, a comprehensive EIA has been completed along with an Integrated Landscape Management Plan (ILMP), which outlines measures relating to catchment‑area treatment, landscape‑level ecological management, biodiversity conservation, command‑area development and long‑term monitoring of environmental parameters. For all ILR projects, including the Ken–Betwa Link Project, Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) components stand included in the sanctioned project structure, and project execution conforms to applicable environmental, forest‑clearance and R&R provisions.

***

ANNEXURE

THE DETAILS OF RIVER LINKING PROJECTS WITH THEIR PRESENT STATUS:

Peninsular Component

Sl.No	Name	States benefited	Status
1	Mahanadi (Manibhadra) – Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link	Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Odisha	Feasibility Report completed
1	Alternate Mahanadi (Barmul)- Rushikulya–Godavari Dowlaiswaram) link	AP and Odisha	Feasibility Report completed
2	Godavari (Polavaram) – Krishna (Vijayawada) link @	AP, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana	Feasibility Report completed
3	a.) Godavari (Inchampalli) – Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link	Telangana	Feasibility Report completed
3	b.) Alternate Godavari (Inchampalli) – Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link *	Telangana	DPR completed
4	Godavari (Inchampalli/ SSMPP) – Krishna (Pulichintala) link	Telangana and AP	DPR completed
5	a.) Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) – Pennar (Somasila ) link	AP	Feasibility Report completed
5	b.)Alternate Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) – Pennar (Somasila ) link *	AP	DPR completed
6	Krishna (Srisailam) – Pennar link	AP	DPR Completed
7	Krishna (Almatti) – Pennar link	Karnataka &AP	DPR completed
8	a.) Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link	AP, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry	Feasibility Report completed
8	b.) Alternate Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link *	AP, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry	DPR completed
9	Cauvery (Kattalai) – Vaigai -Gundar link	Tamil Nadu	DPR completed
10	a) Parbati –Kalisindh – Chambal link	Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Rajasthan	Feasibility Report completed
10	b) Modified Parbati – Kalisindh-Chambal link	MP and Rajasthan	MoA for implementation has been signed by both the States
11	Damanganga – Pinjal link	Maharashtra (only water supply to Mumbai)	DPR completed and dropped from status of “priority links”
12	Par-Tapi-Narmada link	Gujarat and Maharashtra	DPR completed and dropped from status of “priority links”
13	Ken-Betwa link	Uttar Pradesh (UP) and MP	DPR completed and work has been commenced.
14	Pamba – Achankovil – Vaippar link	Tamil Nadu and Kerala	Feasibility Report completed
15	Bedti – Varda link @@	Karnataka	DPR completed
16	Netravati – Hemavati link**	Karnataka	Pre-Feasibility Report completed

* Due to pending consensus on Manibhadra and Inchampalli dams, Phase-I of the Project to divert unutilized waters of Godavari River was carried out, and DPR of Godavari (Inchampalli) – Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) – Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link projects (combined) called the Godavari-Cauvery link was completed. The report has further been updated, terminating the link canal at Manimukhta nadi, a Tributary of the Vellar River flowing adjacent to the Cauvery basin.

@@ Bedti – Varda Link – DPR was prepared directly after preparation of its PFR; no FR was prepared.

@ Godavari (Polavaram) – Krishna (Vijayawada) Link- the project has been completed by the Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and Polavaram Project Authority.

** Netravati – Hemavati link: Further studies not taken up after PFR preparation since, after implementation of the Yettinahole project by the Govt. of Karnataka, no surplus water is available in Netravati basin for diversion through this link.

HIMALAYAN COMPONENT

Sl.No	Name	States/Countries benefited	Status
1.	Kosi-Mechi link***	Bihar and Nepal	PFR completed and proposal dropped
2.	Kosi-Ghaghra link	Bihar, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Nepal	Feasibility Report completed
3.	Gandak – Ganga link	UP and Nepal	Feasibility Report completed
4.	Ghaghra – Yamuna link	UP and Nepal	Feasibility Report completed
5.	Sarda – Yamuna link	UP and Uttarakhand	DPR Completed
6.	Yamuna-Rajasthan link	Haryana and Rajasthan	Feasibility Report completed
7.	Rajasthan-Sabarmati link	Rajasthan and Gujarat	Feasibility Report completed
8.	Chunar – Sone Barrage link	Bihar and UP	Feasibility Report completed
9.	Sone Dam – Southern Tributaries of Ganga link	Bihar and Jharkhand	Draft FR completed
10.	Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga (M-S-T-G) link	Assam, West Bengal and Bihar	Feasibility Report completed
11.	Jogighopa-Tista-Farakka link (Alternative to M-S-T-G)	Assam, WB and Bihar	PFR completed(The proposal has been dropped)
12.	Farakka-Sundarbans link	WB	Feasibility Report completed
13.	Ganga (Farakka) – Damodar-Subarnarekha link	WB, Odisha and Jharkhand	Feasibility Report completed
14.	Subarnarekha-Mahanadi link	WB and Odisha	Feasibility Report completed

Kosi-Mechi link *** – Kosi Mechi Inter State link was dropped due to international dimensions and on request of State Govt. of Bihar, Kosi-Mechi Intra State link was studied by NWDA and its DPR was submitted to State Govt.

The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

***