(a) whether the Government has inter-linked various rivers in the country and if so, the details thereof, river-wise;
(b) the total area irrigated/ likely to be irrigated as a result of the same;
(c) the corrective action taken with regard to inter-linking of rivers in the country; and
(d) the time by which the said work is likely to be completed?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)
(a) The National Perspective Plan (NPP) was prepared by the then Ministry of Irrigation (now Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation) in August 1980 for transferring water from water surplus basins to water-deficit basins. Under the NPP, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component & 14 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports (FRs). The Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs) of the all 30 links have been prepared and circulated to the concerned State Governments. After survey and investigations, FRs of 14 links under Peninsular Component and FRs of 2 links and draft FRs of 7 links (Indian portion) under Himalayan Component have been completed. Present status and States concerned are given in Annexure.
Five priority links under Peninsular Rivers Component have been identified viz; Ken-Betwa link project (KBLP) Phase –I & II, Damanganga-Pinjal link project, Par-Tapi-Narmada link project, Mahanadi-Godavari link project and Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link Project. Based on the concurrence of the concerned States, Detailed Projects Reports (DPRs) of KBLP Phase-I & Phase-II, Damanganga-Pinjal link project and Par-Tapi-Narmada link project have been completed. The techno-economic clearance and various statutory clearances of the KBLP Phase-I have been accorded except clearance from Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court. Based on the request of Government of Madhya Pradesh, Lower Orr dam, Bina complex and Kotha barrage projects have been included in KBLP Phase-II. The DPR of these projects have been completed by NWDA/ Government of Madhya Pradesh. The draft Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for implementation of Ken-Betwa Link Project has been sent to Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for concurrence.
Contd..P2/-
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The techno-economic clearance of the Damanganga-Pinjal link project has also been accorded, subject to statutory clearances. The DPR of Par-Tapi-Narmada link project has been completed by NWDA. The combined draft MoA for implementation of Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada Link (including the four intra-state link projects of Maharashtra State) has been sent to Maharashtra and Gujarat State Governments for concurrence.
(b) It is estimated that implementation of all the Inter Linking of Rivers (ILR) projects under NPP would give benefit of 25 million ha. of irrigation from surface waters and 10 million ha by increased use of ground waters, raising the ultimate irrigation potential from 140 million ha to 175 million ha.
(c) & (d) The ILR programme has been taken up on high priority. The Government is pursuing the ILR program in a consultative manner.
The Supreme Court vide its judgment dated 27.02.2012 in the Writ Petition (Civil) No. 512 of 2002 on ‘Networking of Rivers’ along with Writ Petition No. 668 of 2002’ directed the Union of India and particularly the Ministry of Water Resources to constitute a Committee under the chairmanship of Minister of Water Resources for the implementation of ILR.
As per the directions of Supreme Court, a committee called “Special Committee on Interlinking of Rivers” was constituted under the Chairmanship of the Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD & GR) for the implementation of ILR programme vide Gazette Notification dated 23rd September, 2014. Fourteen meetings of the Special Committee for ILR have been held so far (last meeting held on 17.01.2018 at New Delhi), wherein State Irrigation/ Water Resources Ministers along with the Secretaries of various States participated. The Special Committee on ILR takes into consideration all the suggestions/observations of the stakeholders while planning and formulating the ILR projects. Vigorous efforts have been made for generating consensus with development of alternative plans and also setting out road maps for implementation of mature projects.
Further, the Union Cabinet while approving the constitution of Special Committee for ILR in its meeting held on 24th July, 2014 further, 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 Union Cabinet, MoWR, RD & GR vide O.M. dated 13th April, 2015 has constituted a Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers (TF-ILR) under the Chairmanship of Shri B.N. Navalawala, Chief Advisor, MoWR, RD&GR. So far, nine meetings of the TF-ILR have been held and the last meeting was held on 30.05.2018.
The implementation of ILR projects involves various steps such as preparation of PFRs/FRs; negotiation and consensus among concerned States; preparation of DPRs; clearance from appraisal agencies including clearance by Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs; techno-economic clearance by Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control & Multipurpose Projects of MoWR, RD & GR; investment clearance and the actual construction time required for the completion of the project as per DPR.
The implementation of a project is taken up after preparation of its DPR with the consensus of concerned States and obtaining requisite statutory clearances. No time frame can be fixed for the implementation of the programme at this stage.
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ANNEXURE
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Unstarred Question No. † 2590 to be answered in Lok Sabha on 02.08.2018 regarding “Inter-Linking of Rivers”.
Present status of Inter Basin Water Transfer Links, the States involved, name of rivers and status of Feasibility Reports/Detailed Project Report
Sl. No Name Rivers States concerned Status
Peninsular Component
1 Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link Mahanadi & Godavari Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, & Chattisgarh FR Completed
2 Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Pulichintala) link Godavari & Krishna -do- FR Completed
3 Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link Godavari & Krishna Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Chattisgarh, FR Completed
4 Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada) link Godavari & Krishna Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, & Chattisgarh FR Completed
5 Krishna (Almatti) – Pennar link Krishna & Pennar -do- FR Completed
6 Krishna (Srisailam) – Pennar link Krishna & Pennar -do- FR Completed
7 Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila ) link Krishna & Pennar Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka, FR Completed
8 Pennar (Somasila) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link Pennar & Cauvery Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Puducherry FR Completed
9 Cauvery (Kattalai) - Vaigai -Gundar link Cauvery, Vaigai & Gundar Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Puducherry FR Completed
10 Ken-Betwa link
Ken & Betwa Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh FR & DPR (Ph-I&II) Completed
11 Parbati -Kalisindh- Chambal link Parbati, Kalisindh & Chambal Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh (UP requested to be consulted during consensus building) FR Completed
12 Par-Tapi-Narmada link Par, Tapi & Narmada Maharashtra & Gujarat FR & DPR Completed
13 Damanganga - Pinjal link Damanganga & Pinjal Maharashtra & Gujarat FR & DPR Completed
14 Bedti - Varda link Bedti & Varda Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka PFR Completed
15 Netravati – Hemavati link Netravati & Hemavati Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & Kerala PFR Completed
16 Pamba - Achankovil - Vaippar link Pamba, Achankovil & Vaippar Kerala & Tamil Nadu, FR Completed
Himalayan Component
1. Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga (M-S-T-G) link Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga Assam, West Bengal, Bihar& Bhutan PFR completed
2. Kosi-Ghaghra link Kosi & Ghaghra Bihar , Uttar Pradesh & Nepal PFR completed
3. Gandak-Ganga link Gandak & Ganga -do- Draft FR completed
(Indian portion)
4. Ghaghra-Yamuna link Ghaghra & Yamuna -do- FR completed (Indian portion)
5. Sarda-Yamuna link Sarda & Yamuna Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand & Nepal FR completed (Indian portion)
6. Yamuna-Rajasthan link Yamuna & Sukri Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana & Rajasthan Draft FR completed
7. Rajasthan-Sabarmati link Sabarmati -do- Draft FR completed
8. Chunar-Sone Barrage link Ganga & Sone Bihar & Uttar Pradesh Draft FR completed
9. Sone Dam – Southern Tributaries of Ganga link Sone & Badua Bihar & Jharkhand PFR completed
10. Ganga(Farakka)-Damodar-Subernarekha link Ganga, Damodar & Subernarekha West Bengal, Odisha & Jharkhand Draft FR completed
11. Subernarekha-Mahanadi link Subernarekha & Mahanadi West Bengal & Odisha Draft FR
Completed
12.
Kosi-Mechi link Kosi &Mechi Bihar , West Bengal & Nepal PFR completed Entirely lies in Nepal
13. Ganga (Farakka)-Sunderbans link Ganga & Ichhamati West Bengal Draft FR completed
14. Jogighopa-Tista-Farakka link (Alternative to M-S-T-G) Manas, Tista & Ganga -do- (Alternative to M-S-T-G Link) dropped
• PFR- Pre Feasibility Report
• FR- Feasibility Report
• DPR- Detailed Project Report