The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat held ameeting through Video Conference with the Minister of Water Resources, Government of Madhya Pradesh and the Minister of Jal Shakti, Government of Uttar Pradesh to discuss and  finalisetheMemorandum of Agreement (MoA) for implementation of Ken-Betwa Link Project(KBLP).

The meeting was attended by the Secretary, Additional Secretary and Advisor of Ministry of Jal Shakti and other senior officials from both the States and NWDA.  The Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri Shekhawat emphasized that the Ken-Betwa Link is a dream Project of former Prime Minister Shri AtalBihari Vajpayeeji for the development of the drought prone Bundelkhand Region. Shri Shekhawat also said that Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has also stressed the need for early implementation of this project for the overall socio-economic development of Bundelkhand Region.

The Union Minister requested both the States to rise above small issues and reach consensus for early implementation of the KBLP project as it will transform the drought prone and water starved Bundelkhand region and is likely to trigger regional economic growth. The  project will provide an annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh ha (CCA of 9.04 lakh ha), drinking water supply to a population of about 62 Lakhs in the region and also generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW solar power utilizing about 4843 MCM of water.

During the meeting, the draft MoA for the implementation of KBLP was discussed at length. Both the States conveyed their observations on the draft MoA, particularly onthe issue of sharing of water during the lean period. It was decided that the draft MoA for the implementation of KBLP shall be firmed up in next few days, duly incorporating the views/suggestions of both the States.The Chief Minister level meeting can then be convened at the earliest to finalize and sign the MoA for the implementation of KBLP.

 

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