(a) whether targets have been set for inter-linking of rivers, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the funds utilised so far on the projects during the last two years for each river link; and
(c) the details of various agencies involved in execution of the projects and the time by which the projects are likely to be completed?
THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION
(SUSHRI UMA BHARTI)
(a) to (c) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *270 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2016 REGARDING INTER-LINKING OF RIVERS PROJECT.
(a)to (c) The Government is pursuing the Interlinking of Rivers program in a consultative manner. The implementation of Inter linking of Rivers (ILR) projects involves various steps such as preparation of Pre-feasibility Reports/Feasibility Reports of links, negotiation and consensus among concerned States, preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the projects, clearance from appraisal agencies, which includes clearance by Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change and Ministry of Tribal Affairs, techno-economic clearance by Technical Advisory Committee of Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR, investment clearance and taking up of construction of the project as per DPR.
The projects under the ILR Programme are at various stages of planning. NWDA has incurred an expenditure of Rs.588.8 crores during the period for preparation of Preliminary Water Balance Studies, Pre Feasibility Reports, Feasibility Reports and Detailed Project Reports related to ILR programme. NWDA has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component & 14 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports. After survey and investigations feasibility Reports of 14 links under Peninsular Component and two links in the Himalayan components have been prepared. The DPRs of Ken-Betwa Phase I & II, Daman-Ganga-Pinjal, Par-Tapi-Narmada have been prepared and shared with the States. Pre-Feasibility Reports of 36 Intra-State link proposals out of 46 proposals of Intra-State links have been completed.
These DPRs are at various stages of approval. The in-principle approval of the Standing Committee of the National Wild Life Board has been received for the Ken-Betwa link Project. In order to speed up the implementation of Inter-Linking of River Programme and to arrive at a consensus on the link proposals between the States, a ‘Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers’, has been constituted by this Ministry in September, 2014. Ten meetings of the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) have been held so far, wherein State Irrigation/ Water Resources Ministers along with the Secretaries of various States attended the meetings. The Committee after considering the views of all the stakeholders is taking all necessary steps for expediting the objectives of interlinking rivers programme as per terms of reference of the Committee.
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