Lok Sabha Question No. 379 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-19
Subject: Inter-linking of Rivers
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: CH. MALLA REDDY, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, SUDHEER GUPTA, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, RANJANBEN BHATT, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., S. RAJENDRAN

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

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 379

ANSWERED ON 19.0 7.201 8

## INTER - LINKING OF RIVERS

| 379.   | SHRI CH. MALLA REDDY SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA SHRIMATI RANJANBEN BHATT SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR   | KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN SHRI S. RAJENDRAN   |
|--------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

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

(a) whether it is a fact that the deepening water crisis threatens to worsen the livi across the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has decided to fast track the inter - linking of 30 rivers in the country in a phased manner and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the pre - feasibility reports of all 30 links have been prepared and circulated amo concerned Stat es and if so, the details thereof and the response received therefrom;

(d) the details of the rivers to be interlinked in the first phase along with the expendi incurred thereon including the names of river links on which development work has already started; and

(e) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to ease water crisis in the co with starting of development work on the river links where it has not commenced so far?

## ANSWER

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

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a) As per data available in this Ministry the average annual water resources potenti country was assessed as 1869 BCM and given in the Central Water Commission (CWC) repo entitled 'Reassessment of Water Resources Potential of India' (1993).The incr ease in population, agricultural and industrial demands resulted in reduction in per capita water availabil the per capita water availability was 5,177 cubic meter per year (i.e. about 5.18 milli year). On the basis of the populat ion indicated in 2011 census, the per capita water availab works out to about 1545 cubic meter per year (i.e. about 1.55 million liters per year). topographical constraints and hydrological features, the utilizable water has been esti to be about 1,137 BCM. (690 BCM surface water as assessed by CWC and 447 BCM ground water as assessed by Central Ground Water Board).

The  per capita average  annual  water availability in  the country is  reducing  progressively due to increase in population. The average annual per capita availability of water in the taking into consideration the population fthecountry as per the 2001 census, 2011 census and the population projections for the year 2025 and 2050 is as under:

|   Year | Population (In Millions)   |   Per capita Average Annual Availability (m 3 /year) | Remark                    |
|--------|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
|   2001 | 1029 (2001 census)         |                                                 1816 |                           |
|   2011 | 1210 (2011 census)         |                                                 1545 | water stressed condition* |
|   2025 | 1394 (Projected)           |                                                 1340 | water stressed condition* |
|   2050 | 1640 (Projected)           |                                                 1140 | water stressed condition* |

*A  per  capita  availability  of  less  than  1700  cubic  metres  (m 3 )  is  termed  as  a  water - s ressed condition  while  if  per  capita  availability  falls  below  1000  m 3 ,  it  is  termed  as  a  water  scarcity condition.

(b)  to  (d) The  interlinking  of  rivers  (ILR)  programme  has  been  taken  up  on  high  priorit Government is pursuing the ILR program in a consultative manner.

The National Perspective Plan (NPP) was prepared by the then Ministry of Irrigatio Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD & GR) in August 1980 for water resources development through inter basin transfer of wate r, for transferring water  from  water  surplus  basins  to  water - deficit  basins.  Under  the  NPP,  the  National  Water Development  Agency  (NWDA)  has  identified  30  links  (16  under  Peninsular  Component  &  1 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility R eports. The Pre - Feasibility Report of the  all  30  links  have  been  prepared  and  circulated  to  the  concerned  State  Government NWDA.  After  survey  and  investigations,  Feasibility  Reports  of  14  links  under  Peni Component  and  Feasibility  Reports  of 2 links  and  draft  Feasibility  Reports  of  7  links  (In portion) under Himalayan Component have been completed. The comments/views of the concern States  have  been  received  and  suitably  replied/incorporated  in  the  Feasibility  Report status, Sta tes concerned with Inter Basin Water Transfer Links are given in Annexure .

Four priority links under Peninsular Rivers Component have been identified for prep of  Detailed  Project  Reports  (DPR)  viz;  Ken -Betwa  link  project  (KBLP)  Phase -I  &  II, Dama nganga- Pinjal  link  project,  Par - Tapi - Narmada  link  project  and  Mahanadi - Godavari  link project. The preparation of DPR of a project is taken up only after consent of conce Governments. Based on the concurrence of the concerned States, DPRs of KBLP Phase - I & Phase -II, Damanganga - Pinjal link project and Par - Tapi - Narmada link project have been completed. The techno - economic  clearance  and  various  statutory  clearances  of  the  KBLP  Phase -I  have  been accorded  except  clearance  from  Central  Empowered  Committe e  (CEC)  of  the  Supreme  Court. Based on the request of Government of Madhya Pradesh, Lower Orr dam, Bina complex and Kot barrage  projects  have  been  included  in  KBLP  Phase -II.  The  DPR  of  these  projects  have  been completed by  NWDA/  Government of Madhya Prad esh. The draft Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for implementation of Ken - Betwa Link Project has been sent to Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for concurrence.

The  techno - economic  clearance  of  the  Damanganga - Pinjal  link  project  has  also  be en accorded,  subject  to  statutory  clearances.  The  DPR  of  Par - Tapi - Narmada  link  project  has  been completed by NWDA. The combined draft MoA for implementation of Damanganga - Pinjal and Par - Tapi - Narmada Link (including the four intra -sta e link projects of Mah arashtra State) has been sent to Maharashtra and Gujarat State Governments for concurrence.

The cost of the above three interlinking projects as per DPR are furnished below:

|   Sl no | Name of the project               |   Cost (Rs.in crore) | Year of Price level   |
|---------|-----------------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------|
|       1 | Ken -Betwa Link Project           |                34925 | 2017- 18              |
|       2 | Damanganga - Pinjal Link Project  |                 3008 | 2015- 16              |
|       3 | Par - Tapi - Narmada Link Project |                10211 | 2015- 16              |

(e) Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient man of water resources to ensure sustainability are undertaken by the respective State Govern In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, the sev eral steps have taken by the Government  of  India  for  conservation,  prevention  and  optimum  utilisation  of  availabl resources. Some of the major steps undertaken are as under: - i. A  National  Perspective  Plan  (NPP)  envisaging  inter - basin  transfer  of  water  has  been formulated by MoWR, RD & GR to improve water security in the country. The implementation NPP  would  give  added  benefits  of  approximately  35  million  hectare  of  additional irrigation potential and 34000 Mega Watt (MW) hydropower generation apart from the incidental benef flood moderation, navigation, drinking and industrial water supply, fisheries, salinity control etc.

ii. Central Ground Water Board has prepared a conceptual document entitled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground Water in India' during the year 2013 envisaging construction of 1.11 Crore Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge structures in the country to harness (Bill ion  Cubic  Meters)  of  water.  The  augmented  ground  water  resources  will  enhance availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purposes. The Mas been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.

iii. Centra l  Government has launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) with the  vision  of  extending  the  coverage  of  irrigation  'Har  Khet  ko  Pani'  and  improving  water  use efficiency 'More Crop per drop' in a focused manner with end to end solution on source creation, distribution,  management,  field  application  and  extension  activities.  The  major  obj PMKSY is to achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level, expand area under assured irrigation, improve on - farm water use other water saving technologies (More crop per drop), enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation by exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal waste water for peri - urb n agriculture and attract great er private investment in precision irrigation system.

PMKSY has been conceived by amalgamating ongoing schemes viz. Accelerated Irrigati Benefit  Programme  (AIBP)  of  the  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  &  Gang Rejuvenatio n  (MoWR,  RD  &  GR),  Integrated  Watershed  Management  Programme  (IWMP)  of Department  of  Land  Resources  (DoLR)  and  the  On  Farm  Water  Management  (OFWM)  of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC). MoWR, RD & GR, is to undertake distribut canals, field channels, water diversion/lift irrigation, including development of water dis systems.  Ministry  of  Agriculture  will  promote  efficient  water  conveyance  and  precisio application devices like drips, sprinklers, pivots, rain -guns in the farm 'Jal Sanchan', construction of  micro - irrigation  structures  to  supplement  source  creation  activities,  extension  act promotion of scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures. Programme architect PMKSY will be to adopt a 'decentralized State level planning and projectised execution' structure that will allow States to draw up their own irrigation development plans based on Distric Plan (DIP) and State Irrigation Plan (SIP).

iv. Central  Government  has  launched  the  Nationa l  Water  Mission  with  the  objective  of conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution bo and within States through integrated water resources development and management. One o goals of National Water Mis sion is increasing water use efficiency by 20%.

v. Improved  water  use  efficiency  in  different  sectors  such  as  in  irrigation  (throu -irrigation, e.g., drip, sprinkler etc.), industry and households is being encouraged th initiatives, pro grammes/ schemes of the Government.

vi. Water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment ground water consti special focus area for MGNREGA works and about 2/3rd of the expenditure is directly rel construction of such structures.

vii. Recycle  and  reuse  of  water,  after  treatment  to  specified  standards  as  well  as harvesting and artificial recharge are being incentivized through various initiatives, schemes of the Government.

viii. This Ministry has launched Jal Kranti Abhiyan in 2015 - 16  in  order  to  consolidate  water conservation and management in the country through a holistic and integrated approach in all stakeholders, making it a mass movement.

ix. CWC monitors the live storage status of 91 major reser voirs of the country on weekly basis and is issues weekly bulletin on every Thursday.

*****

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (b)  to  (d)  of  Unstarred  Question  No.  379  to answered in Lok Sabha on 19.07.2018 regarding 'Inter -Linking of Rivers'.

## Present status of Inter Basin Water Transfer Links, the States involved, name of rivers status of Feasibility Reports/Detailed Project Report

| Sl. No              | Name                                                   | Rivers                         | States concerned                                                                                   | Status                        |
|---------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| PeninsularComponent | PeninsularComponent                                    |                                |                                                                                                    |                               |
| 1                   | Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link   | Mahanadi & Godavari            | Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, & Chattisgarh                                      | FR Completed                  |
| 2                   | Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Pulichintala)        | link Godavari & Krishna        | - do-                                                                                              | FR Completed                  |
| 3                   | Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link | Godavari & Krishna             | Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Chattisgarh,                      | FR Completed                  |
| 4                   | Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada)            | link Godavari & Krishna        | Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, & Chattisgarh                                      | FR Completed                  |
| 5                   | Krishna (Almatti) - Pennar link                        | Krishna & Pennar               | - do-                                                                                              | FR Completed                  |
| 6                   | Krishna (Srisailam) - Pennar link                      | Krishna & Pennar               | - do-                                                                                              | FR Completed                  |
| 7                   | Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila ) link     | Krishna & Pennar               | Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh& Karnataka,                                                            | FR Completed                  |
| 8                   | Pennar (Somasila) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link        | Pennar & Cauvery               | Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Puducherry                                         | FR Completed                  |
| 9                   | Cauvery ( Kattalai) -Vaigai - Gundar link              | Cauvery, Vaigai & Gundar       | Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Puducherry                                                         | FR Completed                  |
| 10                  | Ken -Betwa link                                        | Ken & Betwa                    | Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh                                                                     | FR & DPR (Ph- I&II) Completed |
| 11                  | Parbati - Kalisindh - Chambal link                     | Parbati, Kalisindh & Chambal   | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh (UP requested to be consulted during consensus building) | FR Completed                  |
| 12                  | Par - Tapi - Narmada link                              | Par, Tapi & Narmada            | Maharashtra & Gujarat                                                                              | FR & DPR Completed            |
| 13                  | Damanganga -Pinjal link                                | Damanganga & Pinjal            | Maharashtra & Gujarat                                                                              | FR & DPR Completed            |
| 14                  | Bedti-Varda link                                       | Bedti & Varda                  | Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka                                                            | PFR Completed                 |
| 15                  | Netravati - Hemavati link                              | Netravati & Hemavati           | Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & Kerala                                                                     | PFR Completed                 |
| 16                  | Pamba -Achankovil- Vaippar link                        | Pamba, Achankovil & Vaippar    | Kerala & Tamil Nadu,                                                                               | FR Completed                  |
| Himalayan Component | Himalayan Component                                    |                                |                                                                                                    |                               |
| 1.                  | Manas - Sankosh- Tista - Ganga (M-S- T-G) link         | Manas - Sankosh- Tista - Ganga | Assam, West Bengal, Bihar& Bhutan                                                                  | PFR completed                 |

|   Sl. No | Name                                                        | Rivers                        | States concerned                                              | Status                                   |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|        2 | Kosi- Ghaghra link                                          | Kosi & Ghaghra                | Bihar , Uttar Pradesh & Nepal                                 | PFR completed                            |
|        3 | Gandak-Ganga link                                           | Gandak & Ganga                | - do-                                                         | Draft FR completed (Indian portion)      |
|        4 | Ghaghra- Yamuna link                                        | Ghaghra & Yamuna              | - do-                                                         | FR completed (Indian portion)            |
|        5 | Sarda - Yamuna link                                         | Sarda & Yamuna                | Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand & Nepal | FR completed (Indian portion)            |
|        6 | Yamuna - Rajasthan link                                     | Yamuna & Sukri                | Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana & Rajasthan                   | Draft FR completed                       |
|        7 | Rajasthan - Sabarmati link                                  | Sabarmati                     | - do-                                                         | Draft FR completed                       |
|        8 | Chunar- Sone Barrage link                                   | Ganga & Sone                  | Bihar & Uttar Pradesh                                         | Draft FR completed                       |
|        9 | Sone Dam - Southern Tributaries of Ganga                    | link Sone & Badua             | Bihar & Jharkhand                                             | PFR completed                            |
|       10 | Ganga(Farakka) - Damodar - Subernarekha link                | Ganga, Damodar & Subernarekha | West Bengal, Odisha & Jharkhand                               | Draft FR completed                       |
|       11 | Subernarekha - Mahanadi link                                | Subernarekha & Mahanadi       | West Bengal & Odisha                                          | Draft FR Completed                       |
|       12 | Kosi- Mechi link                                            | Kosi &Mechi                   | Bihar , West Bengal & Nepal                                   | PFR completed Entirely lies in Nepal     |
|       13 | Ganga (Farakka) - Sunderbans link                           | Ganga & Ichhamati             | West Bengal                                                   | Draft FR completed                       |
|       14 | Jogighopa -Tista - Farakka link (Alternative to M - S-T- G) | Manas, Tista Ganga            | - do-                                                         | (Alternative to M - S-T- G Link) dropped |

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