Lok Sabha Question No. 3335 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-15
Subject: Declaration of Inter-linking of Rivers as National Projects
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, M. UDHAYAKUMAR, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, DHARMENDRA YADAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 3335

ANSWERED ON 15.0 3.201 8

## DECLARATION OF INTER - LINKING OF RIVERS AS NATIONAL PROJECTS

3335. SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV

ADV. M. UDHAYAKUMAR

## DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  declare  all  Int er - Linking  of  River  (ILR)  projects  in  the country as national projects in a bid to expedite their implementation through quick flow better monitoring on the ground and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is framing any crit eria for the purpose especially in the backdrop of Ministry's  decision  to  begin  works  on  three  identified  rivers'  linking  projects  and  if  so,  the  details thereof including the names of the identified rivers linking projects;

(c) whether the Government has resolved all the issues to make inter - linking of rivers a reality and i so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has asked the States concerned to come forward with definite proposal which may even be taken up with foreign funding agencies and is also considering separate Central fund for this purpose and if so, the deta ils thereof; and

(e) the details of funding pattern proposed for inter - linking of river projects including the steps t taken to achieve the desired success in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a) & (b) Ken - Betwa (K- B) link project was declared as a National Project by Governmen India in February, 2008, as per the then existing norms for consideration of any project as National Project. No other Inter - linking of Rivers (ILR) project has so far been declared as National MoWR, RD & GR has constituted a Group on Financial Aspects under Task Force for ILR proj One of the terms of reference of this group is 'to study the options of declaring some of the inter basin water transfer links of NPP as National Project on the pattern of K -B link'.

Based on the concurrence of the concerned States, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) -Betwa link proj ect Phase -I & Phase -II, Damanganga - Pinjal link and Par - Tapi - Narmada link have been completed. The technoeconomic clearance and various statutory clearances of the KBLP Phase -I have been accorded. Based on the request of Government of M.P., the DPRs of proj ects included under KBLP Phase-II viz., Lower Orr dam, Bina complex projects and Kotha barrage have been comp by  NWDA/  Government  of  M.P.  and  submitted  for  techno - economical  appraisal  in  Central  Water Commission (CWC). The techno -economic clearance of the Damanganga - Pinjal link project has been accorded subject to statutory clearances. The DPR of Par - Tapi - Narmada link project has been

submitted for technical appraisal in CWC. Further, draft Memorandum of Understanding (Mo ) for implementation  of  K - B  link  project  has  been  sent  to  Government  of  Madhya  Pradesh  and  Ut Pradesh for concurrence. Similarly, draft MoU for implementation of Damanganga - Pinjal  and  Par -Tapi - Narmada  link  projects  has  been  sent  to  Governments  of  Mahara shtr   and  Gujarat  for  their concurrence.

(c) The ILR programme has been taken up on high priority. The Government is aware abou several  issues  involved  in  the  ILR  programme  and  therefore,  pursuing  the  ILR  progra consultative manner.

The Supreme Court vide its judgment dated 27.02.2012 in the Writ Petition (Civil) No 2002 on 'Networking of Rivers' along with Writ Petition No. 668 of 2002' directed the Union of India and particularly the Ministry of Water Resources to constitute a Committ ee under the chairmanship of Minister of Water Resources for the implementation of ILR.

As  per  the directions  of  Supreme  Court,  a  C ommittee  called  'Special  Committee  on Interlinking  of  Rivers'  was  constituted  under  the  Chairmanship  of  the  Union  Minister  o f  Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD & GR) for the implementation o ILR  programme  vide  Gazette  Notification  dated  23rd  September,  2014.  Fourteen  meetings Special Committee for ILR have been held so far (last meeting h eld on 17.01.2018 at New Delhi), wherein  State  Irrigation/  Water  Resources  Ministers  along  with  the  Secretaries  of  var participated. The Special Committee on ILR takes into consideration all the suggestions/o of the stakeholders while planning and formulating the ILR projects.

The Committee, after considering the views of all the stakeholders, is proceeding expedite the objectives of the interlinking of rivers as per terms of reference. Vigorou been made for ge nerating consensus with development of alternative plans and also setting maps for implementation of mature projects.

The implementation of ILR projects involves various steps such as preparation of P negotiation and consensus among conce rned States; preparation of DPRs; clearance from apprai agencies including clearance by Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change (Mo & CC) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs; techno - economic clearance by Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control & Multipurpose Projects of MoWR, RD & GR; investment clearance and the act construction time required for the completion of the project as per DPR.

The implementation of a project is taken up after preparation of its DPR with the c concerned States and obtaining requisite statutory clearances.

(d) & (e) The Central Government has not invited any funding proposals on ILR projects fr concerned States.  Instead, MoWR, RD & GR has constituted a Group on Financial Aspects Task Force for ILR projects on 12.09.2017 to consider the financial aspects of ILR proj suggest the funding pattern for implementing the same. Six meetings of the Group have bee far, and the last meeting was held on 27.2.2018.