The Government of India formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for interlinking of rivers (ILR) in 1980. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has been entrusted with the work of Interlinking of Rivers under the National Perspective Plan (NPP). The NPP has two components, viz; Himalayan Rivers Development Component and Peninsular Rivers Development Component. 30 link projects have been identified under the NPP. In last 5 years, significant progress has been made in the ILR programme.
Under the Himalayan Rivers Development Component of the NPP, 3 link projects, viz; Kosi-Mechi Link project , Kosi-Ghaghra link project and Chunar-Sone Barrage link project envisage transfer of water from Kosi, Ghaghra and Gandak rivers flowing down from Nepal to the other rivers in the State of Bihar.
The Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) for Kosi-Mechi Inter State link project has been completed by NWDA. This link project lies in Nepal. As per the PFR, the link would provide for annual irrigation of 4.74 lakh hectare (ha) (2.99 lakh ha in Bihar) and 24 Million Cubic Metre (MCM) of domestic and industrial water supply in Bihar and Nepal.
The Kosi-Ghaghra link project, draft Feasibility Report (FR) for which has been completed, envisages diversion of 7482 MCM of water from right bank of the river Kosi from proposed Chatra barrage to the Ghaghra in order to extend irrigation to un-irrigated areas of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (UP), north of river Ganga in the basins of Kosi, Kamla, Balan, Bagmati, Burhi Gandak, Gandak and Ghaghra rivers. The link would provide for annual irrigation to 10.58 lakh ha area (8.17 Lakh ha in Bihar) and 48 MCM of domestic & industrial water supply in Bihar, UP and Nepal.
The Chunar-Sone Barrage link project, draft FR for which has been completed, envisages transfer of water from river Ganga at Chunar to Sone river. River Ganga at Chunar would be surplus through augmentation of 6879 MCM of water from the proposed Gandak-Ganga link project and 4090 MCM from the proposed Ghaghra –Yamuna link project. Out of this surplus, Ganga water available at Chunar for diversion to Sone river would be 5918 MCM. The link project would provide for enroute annual irrigation of 0.67 lakh ha area, out of which 0.13 lakh ha lies in Bihar. The link canal would take over the existing commands of Western Sone Low Level Canal and High Level Canal to the extent of 4364.49 MCM of water and also the existing requirement of Sone barrage to the extent of 928.47 MCM of water directly. Due to this arrangement, additional 2.99 lakh ha irrigation will also be provided to Bihar through Sone Dam – Southern Tributaries of Ganga link, PFR of which has been completed.
Apart from the above, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Kosi–Mechi intra-State link project was prepared by NWDA in March, 2014. Ths intra-State link project has been accorded Environmental Clearance and Investment Clearance in 2019 and 2020 respectively. A Memorandum of Understanding for the preparation of working DPR for this intra-State link project has been signed between NWDA and Government of Bihar in December, 2022.
The Government has pursued the ILR program in a consultative manner and has accorded it top priority. DPRs of the ILR projects after completion, are sent to the party States and efforts made at various levels to bring them to a consensus on the issues related to water sharing etc., so as to take these link projects ahead to the implementation stage.
The Ken-Betwa Link project (KBLP) is the first ILR prroject under the NPP, implementation of which has been initiated. The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the implementation of the Ken-Betwa Link project (KBLP) amongst the party States and the Government of India was signed on 22.03.2021. Subsequently, the link project was approved by the Government of India in December, 2021 for implementation at an estimated cost of Rs 44,605 crore (year 2020-21 price level) with a central support of Rs 39,317 crore and through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), viz; Ken Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA). The total expenditure made on KBLP (Phase I and Phase II) till date is Rs. 7998.42 Crore. This link project is planned to be completed by March, 2030.
Expenditure and estimated time period for completion for the other ILR projects would be considered when they reach the stage of implementation. The implementation of the ILR projects, however, depends upon the party States to reach a consensus.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Rajya Sabha 27.03.2023.
