Question : Inter-Linking of Mahanadi River

(a) whether the Union Government has prepared and shared any feasibility report of inter-linking project to transfer water from Himalayan rivers to Mahanadi River so far;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (c) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.




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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *378 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2020 REGARDING “INTER-LINKING OF MAHANADI RIVER” RAISED BY SHRI ANUBHAV MOHANTY, M.P.

(a) to (c) The National Perspective Plan (NPP) was prepared by the then Ministry of Irrigation (now Ministry of Jal Shakti) in August 1980 for water resources development through inter basin transfer of water, for transferring water from water surplus basins to water-deficit basins. Under the NPP, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component and 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. Out of the 14 link projects identified under the Himalayan rivers Development Component, the following 3 link projects in series have been proposed to divert the waters of Himalayan rivers to Mahanadi and further south:

i) Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga (MSTG) link project.
ii) Ganga(Farakka)-Damodar-Subernarekha(GDS) link project
iii) Subernarekha-Mahanadi(SM) link project

The PFR of above links have already been prepared and circulated to the concerned State Governments. The draft FR of MSTG link project with alternate alignment studies, draft FR of GDS link project and the draft FR of SM link project have been prepared.

The finalisation of FRs of GDS link project and the SM link project are linked with the finalization of FR of the MSTG link project.


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