Question : Committee for inter-linking of Rivers

(a) whether the Government has constituted any special committee for inter-linking of rivers (SCILR);
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?

(a) to (c) As per the direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, a Committee to be called “Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers” (SCILR) has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister for Water Resources for the implementation of Inter-linking of Rivers, vide Gazette Notification dated 23rd September, 2014. 19 meetings of the Special Committee on ILR have been held so far and the last meeting was held on 12.11.2021.
Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers has constituted four specific sub-committees:- (i) Sub-Committee for comprehensive evaluation of various studies/reports (ii) Sub-Committee for system studies for identifications of most appropriate alternate plan, (iii) Sub-Committee for restructuring of National Water Development Agency and (iv) Sub-Committee for consensus building through negotiations and arriving at agreement between concerned States to discharge its functions.
The Union Cabinet, while approving the constitution of SCILR in its meeting held on 24th July, 2014, directed that a committee comprising of experts be constituted to look into the issues relating to inter linking of rivers. In compliance to the direction of the Union Cabinet, MoWR, RD & GR constituted a Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers (TF-ILR) under the Chairmanship of Chief Advisor, MoWR, RD&GR on 13th April, 2015.
Status-cum-Progress Reports of the SCILR are submitted to the Union Cabinet.
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