The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) with an estimated cost of Rs. 37,247.12 crore (at 2014 price level) was submitted by the Government of Rajasthan in November, 2017 for techno-economic appraisal. As per the prevailing norms, the projects on inter-State rivers are required to be planned for 75% dependable yield. Appraisal of the project could not be completed as the project is planned on 50% dependable yield, which is not as per prevailing norms and also not acceptable to Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP), which is a co-basin State. The Central Water Commission, vide letters dated 15.04.2019, 29.02.2020 and in various meetings, has inter alia requested the Government of Rajasthan to revise the project planning at 75% dependability. However, the revised DPR based on 75% dependable yield has not been submitted by the Government of Rajasthan.

In the meantime, with a view to optimize the utilization of water of the Chambal River System, the Task force on Interlinking of Rivers (TF-ILR) in November, 2019 decided to explore the integration of the ERCP with Parbati- Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) Link Canal Project, which is one of the 30 link projects identified under National Perspective Plan (NPP) prepared by Ministry of Jal Shakti in 1980. Accordingly, National Water Development Agency (NWDA) prepared a draft Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) for Parbati-Kuno-Sindh link project pertaining to the components in MP and proposing to integrate the same with ERCP to make it an inter-State interlinking project benefiting both MP and Rajasthan.

The issue of integration of ERCP with PKC link has been deliberated with both the States at various platforms, with a view to bring them to a consensus with regard to particularly the issue related to the dependability criteria. Based on these deliberations, a proposal of the modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (Modified PKC) link, incorporating the components as proposed by Government of MP in Kuno, Parbati and Kalisindh sub-basins along with components of ERCP corresponding to divertible water available at 75 percent dependability, has been framed. The Modified PKC link project duly integrated with the ERCP has subsequently been identified as a part of the NPP and the phase-I of the project as one of the priority link projects, as approved by the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers (SCILR) in its 20th meeting held on December, 2022.

 

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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AS

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