RIVER INTERLINKING

RIVER INTERLINKING

TOPIC: Environment

Context- The Finance Minister In Budget 2022 announced that “Draft DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) of the five river links along with the implementation of the Ken-Betwa Link Project

Concept-

The Five River Links Include:

• Damanganga-Pinjal,
• Par- Tapi-Narmada,
• Godavari-Krishna,
• Krishna-Pennar and
• Pennar-Cauvery.

About Ken Betwa Link Project:

• The Ken-Betwa Link project proposes to transfer water from the Ken river to the Betwa — both tributaries of Yamuna.
• This link project will have a canal network of 221 km.
• The water-starved Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh covering a total of 13 districts will primarily benefit from this project.

About River Interlinking:

• The RLP involves the process of diverting surplus river water through a network of canals to water-starved areas either within or outside a State.
• The proposal for interlinking of rivers in India dates back to proposals made by Sir Arthur Cotton and K.L. Rao in the 19th century.
• Under the NPP (National Perspective Plan) 1980s, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) identified 14 river links in the northern Himalayan river development component and 16 in the southern peninsular river development component for inter-basin transfer of water.

*** For Further Information Please Refer to DPN 16-11-2021 & 29-07-2021