Question : Declaration of Inter-linking of Rivers as National Projects

(a) whether the Government proposes to declare all Inter-Linking of River (ILR) projects in the country as national projects in a bid to expedite their implementation through quick flow of funds and better monitoring on the ground and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is framing any criteria for the purpose especially in the backdrop of the Ministry’s decision to begin works on three identified rivers’ linking projects and if so, the details thereof including the names of the identified rivers linking projects;

(c) whether the Government has resolved all the issues to make inter-linking of rivers a reality and if so, the
details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has asked the States concerned to come forward with definite funding proposal which may even be taken up with foreign funding agencies and is also considering to set up a separate Central fund for this purpose and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the details of funding pattern proposed for inter-linking of river projects including the steps to be taken to achieve the desired success in this regard?

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

(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) & (b) Ken-Betwa (K-B) link project was declared as a National Project by Government of India in February, 2008, as per the then existing norms for consideration of any project as National Project. No other Inter-linking of Rivers (ILR) project has so far been declared as National project. MoWR, RD & GR has constituted a Group on Financial Aspects under Task Force for ILR projects. One of the terms of reference of this group is “to study the options of declaring some of the inter basin water transfer links of NPP as National Project on the pattern of K-B link”.

Based on the concurrence of the concerned States, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of Ken-Betwa link project Phase-I & Phase-II, Damanganga-Pinjal link and Par-Tapi-Narmada link have been completed. The technoeconomic clearance and various statutory clearances of the KBLP Phase-I have been accorded. Based on the request of Government of M.P., the DPRs of projects included under KBLP Phase-II viz., Lower Orr dam, Bina complex projects and Kotha barrage have been completed by NWDA/ Government of M.P. and submitted for techno-economical appraisal in Central Water Commission (CWC). The techno-economic clearance of the Damanganga-Pinjal link project has been accorded subject to statutory clearances. The DPR of Par-Tapi-Narmada link project has been


submitted for technical appraisal in CWC. Further, draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for implementation of K-B link project has been sent to Government of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for concurrence. Similarly, draft MoU for implementation of Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada link projects has been sent to Governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat for their concurrence.

(c) The ILR programme has been taken up on high priority. The Government is aware about the several issues involved in the ILR programme and therefore, 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.

The Committee, after considering the views of all the stakeholders, is proceeding ahead to expedite the objectives of the interlinking of rivers as per terms of reference. Vigorous efforts have been made for generating consensus with development of alternative plans and also setting out road maps for implementation of mature projects.

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.

(d) & (e) The Central Government has not invited any funding proposals on ILR projects from the concerned States. Instead, MoWR, RD & GR has constituted a Group on Financial Aspects under Task Force for ILR projects on 12.09.2017 to consider the financial aspects of ILR projects and to suggest the funding pattern for implementing the same. Six meetings of the Group have been held so far, and the last meeting was held on 27.2.2018.


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