NEW DELHI: The government informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that it has identified three projects for interlinking of rivers. At the same time clarified that such projects will be taken up only with the concurrence of the concerned states.
“We take up the river linking projects only when the state concerned gives it concurrence. Without concurrence of states, we will not take up any such project,” water resources minister Uma Bharti told the Lok Sabha.
Among the three projects to be taken up are the Ken-Betwa link, Damanganga-Pinjal link and Par-Tapi-Narmada link. A detailed project report is being prepared on these three projects by the National Water Development Agency.
The DPR for Ken-Betwa link project and Damnganga-Pinjal link has been completed by NWDA and submitted to the states concerned.
The DPR of Par-Tapi-Narmada link is in various stages of completion and the Supreme Court on February 27, 2012 had directed the government to take up Ken-Betwa link project for implementation at the first instance itself.
The minister told the House that approximately 35 million hectare of additional irrigation potential and 34,000 MW hydro power generation are the likely benefits envisaged under National Perspective Plan.
