(a) whether the Union Government has constituted a high powered committee to implement
the river interlinking project and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has received any complaints/suggestions/ projects from the
State Governments in this regard and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the budget and the amount which has already been spent till October, 2013, project-wise;
and
(d) the benefits likely to accrue as a result of interlinking of rivers?
THE HON’BLE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI HARISH RAWAT)
a) Supreme Court while delivering judgement in respect of Writ Petition (CIVIL) No.512 of 2002 IN
RE: NETWORKING OF RIVERS with Writ Petition (CIVIL) No. 668 of 2002, have directed the Union
of India and particularly the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, to forthwith constitute
a Committee to be called a ‘Special Committee for Inter-linking of Rivers’ headed by the Union
Minister for Water Resources and comprising of members from States and also representatives of
other associated Union Ministries as well as experts nominated by them, including Amicus Curiae.
Accordingly, the committee has been framed by the Ministry of Water Resources.
b) No madam.
c) National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was originally entrusted with establishment of
feasibility of the proposals of Peninsular Component of National Perspective Plan (NPP) in 1982.
The mandate has been extended to cover Himalayan Component in 1990, taking up of Detailed
Project Reports of Priority links and Pre-feasibility reports of Intra State links in 2006 and finally
DPR of Intra State links in 2011. The budgetary provision for preparation of Feasibility Reports
(FRs) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the present financial year 2013-14 is Rs. 63.2 crore.
The expenditure till October, 2013 for preparation of FRs and DPRs & other relevant Studies, is
Rs 428.69 crore. The expenditure has been incurred for studies for establishing viability of the
proposals from hydrological and technical angles. The expenditure incurred, is not
maintained project-wise.
d) The implementation of National Perspective Plan is ultimately expected to give benefit of 25 million
hectare of irrigation from surface waters, 10 million hectare by increased use of ground waters,
raising the ultimate irrigation potential from 140 million hectare to 175 million hectare and generation
of 34 million kilo watts of power, apart from the incidental benefits of flood control, navigation, water
supply, fisheries, salinity, enhanced food availability and pollution control etc.