Question : North Koel Reservoir Project

(a) whether completion of the North Koel Reservoir project has been approved by the Government and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the funds sanctioned and utilized towards the completion of the project so far;
(c) whether any target has been set regarding the initiation work and completion of the project and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether this project had been sanctioned in the past but its work could not start at that time and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
(e) the details of irrigation benefits along with the other benefits likely to accrue to the people of the region as a result of the project?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for completion of the balance works of North Koel Reservoir Project in Jharkhand and Bihar on 16th August 2017 at an estimated cost of Rs.1622.27 crores.
(b) An amount of Rs. 1378.61 crores has been sanctioned by NABARD under Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) towards Central share. The remaining amount of Rs.243.66 crore would be provided by State Govts. of Bihar and Jharkhand as State share. An amount of Rs.8.05 Crore has been released to M/s WAPCOS Ltd. by NABARD under LTIF.
(c) Union Cabinet has approved the execution of balance works of the project for the duration of 30 months from the start of work.
(d) The project was originally accepted by Advisory Committee of Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) in its 13th meeting held on 19.03.1980 for Rs.113.17 crore subject to forest clearance by Ministry of Environment & Forests ( MoEF). Later on 11.89 km long Left Bank Canal
Contd..P2/-

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(LBC) was added to the scope of the project. The modified proposal costing Rs.439.03 Crore was considered and accepted by the Advisory Committee of MoWR, RD & GR in September, 1989 in its 44th meeting subject to compliance of the stipulation of the MoEF. The construction works had started in the year 1972. The work continued till 1993 and was stopped in that year by the Forest Department, Govt. of Bihar. The MoEF had objected during 1993 to the installation of gates with the apprehension that water accumulated in the dam would threaten the Betla National Park and Palamau Tiger Reserve. The clearance from MoEF in respect of submergence of forest land of 1007 hectare of buffer area of Palamau Tiger Reserve could not be obtained at that time.

(e) The unfinished project as on date is providing irrigation to 71,720 hectares and completion of this project will provide additional irrigation benefit to the extent of 39,801 hectares aggregating to 111,521 hectares of land annually in drought prone areas of Aurangabad and Gaya districts of Bihar and Palamau and Garwa districts of Jharkhand. Besides irrigation benefits, the project also has the provision for supply of 44 MCM water for drinking and industrial water supply.


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