The schemes of inter-linking of rivers of the country is under consideration with Government, The Ministry of Water Resources (MOWR) (erstwhile Ministry of Irrigation) had formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Water Resources Development in 1980 envisaging inter-basin transfer of water from surplus basins to deficit basins/areas which comprises two components, namely, Himalayan Rivers Development Component and Peninsular Rivers Development Component. The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was set up under the MOWR in 1982 for carrying out various technical studies to establish the feasibility of the proposals of NPP and to give concrete shape to them.  Based on various studies conducted, NWDA has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component & 14 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports (FRs). Out of these, FRs of 14 links under Peninsular Component and 2 links (Indian Portion) under Himalayan Component have been completed. 

 

Five links under Peninsular Component namely (i) Ken-Betwa, (ii)Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal, (iii) Damanganga-Pinjal, (iv) Par-Tapi-Narmada & (v) Godavari (Polavaram)-Krishna (Vijayawada) were identified as priority links for building consensus among the concerned states for taking up their Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).  DPR of one priority link namely, Ken – Betwa was completed and sent to the Governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for comments.  The Government of Madhya Pradesh suggested an alternative proposal based on which two phases of the project are envisaged.  The DPR of the phase-I has been prepared and sent to the Government of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in May 2010 for comments. Further, NWDA has taken up the DPRs of two more priority links after concurrence of the concerned states, namely Par – Tapi – Narmada  and  Damanganga  – Pinjal which are planned to be completed by December, 2011.  Another priority link namely, Godavari (Polavaram)- Krishna(Vijawada) link is part of the Polavaram project of the Andhra Pradesh. Planning Commission has given investment clearance to the Polavaram Project and the Government of Andhra Pradesh has taken up the above project including link component as per their proposals.

 

            The names of the links and the names of rivers likely to be interlinked under NPP and their present status is given below:

 

LIST OF WATER TRANSFER LINKS IDENTIFIED UNDER NPP AND THEIR STATUS

 

Peninsular Rivers Development Component

 

1.         Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link       - FR completed

2.         Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada) link *            - Taken up by the state as per their own proposal

3.         Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna ( Pulichintala)link             - FR completed

4.         Godavari (Inchampalli ) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link      - FR completed

5.         Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila ) link           - FR completed

6.         Krishna (Srisailam) - Pennar  link                                    - FR completed

7.         Krishna (Almatti) - Pennar link                                         - FR completed

8.         Pennar (Somasila) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link               - FR completed

9.         Cauvery (Kattalai) – Vaigai – Gundar link                          - FR completed

10.        Parbati – Kalisindh – Chambal link*                                 - FR completed

11.        Damanganga – Pinjal  link*                                             - FR completed &

          DPR taken up

12.        Par – Tapi – Narmada link*                                             - FR completed &

          DPR taken up

13.        Ken – Betwa link*                                                          - DPR of phase-I Completed                                                                                                             

14.        Pamba – Achankovil – Vaippar link                                  - FR completed.

15.        Netravati - Hemavati Link                                                - PFR completed

16.        Bedti - Varda link                                                           - FR taken up

 

Himalayan  Rivers Development Component

 

1.         Kosi-Mechi link                                                              - Entirely lies in Nepal

2.         Kosi-Ghaghra link                                                          - S&I works taken up

3.         Gandak-Ganga link                                                        - S&I works taken up

4.         Ghaghra-Yamuna link                                                     - FR completed (for

          Indian portion)

5.         Sarda-Yamuna link                                                         - FR completed (for

          Indian portion)

6.         Yamuna-Rajasthan link                                                   -S&I works completed

7.         Rajasthan-Sabarmati link                                                - S&I works completed

8.         Chunar-Sone Barrage link                                               - S&I works completed

 9.        Sone Dam - Southern Tributaries of Ganga link                 - S&I works taken up

10.       Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga (M-S-T-G) link                     - S&I works taken up

11.       Jogighopa-Tista- Farakka

         (Alternate to M-S-T-G) link                                                 - S&I works taken up

12.       Farakka-Sunderbans link                                                -S&I work completed

13.       Ganga-Damodar-Subernarekha link                                   - S&I work completed

14.       Subernarekha-Mahanadi link                                           - S&I work completed

 

*    Priority links

PFR- Pre-Feasibility Report; FR- Feasibility Report; DPR- Detailed Project Report

S&I- Survey & Investigation in Indian portion

 

            The link proposals firmed up by NWDA under NPP envisage additional irrigation benefits of 25 million hectares of irrigation from surface waters, 10 million hectare by increased use of ground waters and generation of 34000 MW of power apart from the benefits of flood moderation navigation, water supply, fisheries, salinity, pollution control etc.

 

However this is subject to the consensus among the States involved in each project.

 

By transferring water from a surplus basin to a water deficient basin, problems relating to irrigation and potable water can be mitigated significantly.

 

This information was given by the Minister of State for Water Resources, Shri Vincent H. Pala in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

 

 

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