Lok Sabha Question No. 266 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-08
Subject: Inter-linking of Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Talari Rangaiah, Uttam Kumar Nalamada Reddy, Adala Prabhakara Reddy, Kuruva Gorantla Madhav

266

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 266

ANSWERED ON 08.12.2022

## INTER-LINKING OF RIVERS

DR. TALARI RANGAIAH

SHRI UTTAM KUMAR REDDY NALAMADA

SHRI ADALA PRABHAKARA REDDY

SHRI KURUVA GORANTLA MADHAV

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government in concert with National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has decided to come with plans to inter-link Godavari - Krishna - Pennar - Cauvery rivers, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(b) whether the lack of consensus in this respect is causing delays in the said projects and if so, the details thereof;

(c)  the  details  of  the  impact  of  the  project  on  immediate  drinking  and  irrigation  water  supply  from  preexisting projects on the Godavari or Cauvery rivers;

(d)  the  details  of  the  land  required  in  each  State  for  the  completion  of  the  project  and  the  proposed compensation to be paid to acquire the required land;

(e) the total quantum of funds required to develop and operate the project and the timeline for the same; and (f) the impact of the project on existing lift irrigation projects and canals?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) Godavari-Krishna-Pennar-Cauvery  link  project  is  among  the  30  link  projects  identified  under  the National Perspective Plan (NPP). As envisaged under the NPP, Godavari is to be augmented by transfer of surplus waters from Mahanadi and Brahmaputra basins, for further diversion of waters to Krishna, Pennar and  Cauvery  basins.  The  Government  of  India  is  making  concerted  efforts  in  consultation  with  the  party States, for the implementation of this link project. Pending consensus on Mahanadi-Godavari and Godavari (Inchampalli)-Krishna link projects, alternative studies to divert surplus waters available in Godavari basin and unutilized waters in Indravati sub-basin of Godavari basin through Godavari-Cauvery link project were carried out by National Water Development Agency (NWDA). The Godavari (Inchampalli)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link comprises of three links namely Godavari (Inchampalli)-Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link, Krishna

(Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila) link and Pennar (Somasila)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link. This link project  traverses  through  Godavari,  Krishna,  Pennar,  Palar  and  Cauvery  basins  and  lies  in  the  States  of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The link project has been identified as one of the priority link projects.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Godavari (Inchampalli)-Cauvery(Grand Anicut) link project was completed by NWDA in consultation with the party States and circulated to them on 28.04.2021. The link project is envisaged for diversion of 7000 Million Cubic Metres (MCM) of waters annually from Godavari basin to Krishna, Pennar and Cauvery basins and would provide an annual irrigation of 9.44 lakh hectares.

(b) Regarding the Godavari (Inchampalli)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link project, the party States have raised concerns related to surplus waters availability in Godavari basin and quantum of allocation of waters to the States. Four consultation meetings with party States/Union Territory (UT) have been held so far. As decided during  the  meeting  held  on  18.02.2022,  a  Technical  Feasibility  Report  (TFR)  has  also  been  prepared  by NWDA to recast the proposal limiting the transfer from 7000 MCM to about 4000 MCM of waters from Godavari  basin  in  the  interim  phase,  along  with  combining  the  proposal  for  supplementation  in  Krishna basin through Bedti-Varda link. The consultation meeting was last held on 18.10.2022 and efforts made to arrive at a consensus among the Party States for implementation of the link project.

(c) The Godavari (Inchampalli)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link project shall provide irrigation of  6.23 lakh ha area  annually in the States of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the interim phase. The link shall also fulfill the industrial and domestic needs of nearly 1.88 crore people in the States of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the UT of Puduchchery. Further, the Bedti-Verda link shall provide annual irrigation of 1.05 lakh ha area in the State of Karnataka and provide domestic water to 5 lakh people in the State.

(d) to (f) The details of the land and funds required for the completion of the project, compensation, etc. will come  into  consideration  at  the  time  of  the  implementation  of  the  project.  The  detailed  project  planning process will ensure that there is no impact on existing schemes for irrigation or domestic water supply.