Lok Sabha Question No. 2543 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-17
Subject: Inter-linking of Rivers in Odisha
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2543

ANSWERED ON 17.03.2022

## INTER-LINKING OF RIVERS IN ODISHA

## 2543.  SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the rivers in the State of Odisha are likely to be inter-linked and if so, the details of the rivers included and the project/scheme/plan under which this initiative would be undertaken and the targets set and if not, the reasons therefor;

- (b) whether the interlinking has begun to be implemented and if so, the details and the progress thereof;
- (c) whether there has been a study conducted to identify benefits of inter-linking of rivers in Odisha and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether any technical or economic difficulties have been identified for rivers that may not be included for inter-linking in the current interlinking project/ scheme/ plan and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a)  to  (c)  Under  National  Perspective  Plan  (NPP)  prepared  in  the  year  1980  for  inter-basin  water  transfer  from  water surplus  basins  to  water  deficit  basins,  the  National  Water  Development  Agency  (NWDA)  has  identified  30  links  (16 under Peninsular Component and 14 under Himalayan Component). Out of these identified links, 3 link projects are in the State of Odisha, the details of Interlinking of rivers projects for the State of Odisha, with their present status and benefits, are at Annexure .

No link project related to the State of Odisha is yet ready for implementation. The Ken- Betwa Link Project is the first link  under  NPP  that  is  under  implementation  after  a  tripartite  agreement  was  signed  between  the  States  of  Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and the Central Government on 22 March, 2021. Subsequently, Government of India approved the implementation of Ken-Betwa Link Project with an estimated cost of Rs. 44,605 crore (at year 2020-21 price levels), including central support of Rs. 39,317 crore [ 90 (Centre): 10 (State) ], through a special purpose vehicle.

(d)   After carrying out technical studies, the National Water Development Agency has identified surplus and deficit river basins for proposal of link canals for transfer of water. Under the Himalayan Component, the tributaries of Ganga such as Kosi,  Sarda  (at  Poornagiri),  Ghaghra  (at  Chisapani),  Gandak  (at  proposed  Gandak  Dam),  and  Ganga  at  Chunar  and tributaries  of  Brahmaputra  such  as  Manas,  Sankosh,  Aie,  Raidak,  Torsa  and  Jaldhaka  are  surplus.  In  Peninsular component,  the  river  basins  of  Mahanadi,  Godavari,  Par,  Damanganga,  Pamba,  Achankovil,  Netravati,  Bedti,  Ken  at Daudhan, Parbati (upto Patanpur) and Kalisindh (Sub-basin of Chambal) (upto Kundaliya) have been identified as surplus river  basins.   Krishna,  Pennar,  Cauvery,  Vaigai  and  Vaippar  under  Peninsular  Component  and  Yamuna  at  Okhla  and Ganga at Narora under Himalayan Component have been identified as deficit river basins.

However, interlinking of rivers proposals depend exclusively on consensus among party States for implementation.

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  2543  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  17.03.2022  REGARDING  'INTERLINKING OF RIVERS IN ODISHA'.

Details alongwith expected benefits and status of the proposals for inter-state linking of rivers for the State of Odisha under the Inter Linking of Rivers Programme

|   Sl. No | Name of link                                                                                                                 | Status                             | States benefited       | Annual Irrigation (Lakh ha)                        | Domestic & Industrial (Mm3)   | Hydro power (MW)   |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------|
|        1 | Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link Alternate Mahanadi (Barmul) - Rushikulya - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link | FR completed                       | AP& Odisha             | 4.43 (AP-0.91) Odisha-3.52) 6.25                   | 700                           | 450                |
|        1 | Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link Alternate Mahanadi (Barmul) - Rushikulya - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link | FR completed and DPR in progress   | AP& Odisha             | (AP- 0.91 + Odisha- 3.52 + 1.82)                   | 700 (MGL) +125                | 210 (MGL) + 240    |
|        2 | Ganga(Farakka) Damodar-Subarnarekha link                                                                                     | - FR completed and DPR in progress | W.B., Odisha Jharkhand | & 12.30 (WB-11.18+ Odisha- 0.39+ Jharkhand - 0.73) | 432                           | --                 |
|        3 | Subarnarekha-Mahanadi link                                                                                                   | FR completed                       | W.B. &Odisha           | 1.63 (WB- 0.18+ Odisha - 1.45)                     | 198                           | 9                  |

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