Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu has informed that Under the National Perspective Plan (NPP), the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component & 14 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports. Out of these, Ken-Betwa Link Project, Par-Tapi-Narmada Link Project, Damanganga-Pinjal Link Project and Godavari (Inchampalli barrage)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link project have been declared as priority link projects by the Government of India. Godavari (Inchampalli barrage)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link project consists of three links, viz; Godavari-Krishna, Krishna-Pennar and Pennar-Cauvery links.
Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is the first interlinking of rivers (ILR) project under the NPP which is under implementation. The Govt. of India has approved the implementation of KBLP with an estimated cost of Rs 44,605 Cr (year 2020-21 price level) with central support of Rs 39,317 Cr through a Special Purpose Vehicle viz; Ken Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA) on 08.12.2021. The Gazette Notification for constitution of the Steering Committee and Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA) has been issued on 11.02.2022.
For other priority ILR projects also the Govt. of India is making all efforts for consensus building. The consultation with the States and review of the progress of ILR projects are being carried out at various platforms. A “Special Committee on Interlinking of Rivers” has been constituted in September, 2014 for the implementation of ILR programme. Nineteen meetings of the Special Committee have been held so far. Further, a Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers has been constituted by MoWR, RD & GR (now Ministry of Jal Shakti) in April, 2015 and fifteen meetings of the Task Force have been held so far. Efforts have been made for building consensus among the concerned States.
The implementation of the ILR projects depends mainly upon consensus among the concerned States.
The implementation of the link projects under National Perspective Plan (NPP) is expected to give benefit of 25 million ha of irrigation from surface water and 10 million ha by increased use of ground water, raising the ultimate irrigation potential from 140 million ha to 175 million ha, apart from generation of 34 million KW of power and other benefits of flood control, navigation, augmentation of water supply, fisheries, salinity control, pollution control and employment generation etc.