Lok Sabha Question No. 1540 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-10
Subject: National Project Status to Upper Bhadra Project
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Kavitha Malothu, Venkatesh Netha Borlakunta, Dayakar Pasunoori, Balashowry Vallabbhaneni, Gaddam Ranjith Reddy

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1540

ANSWERED ON 10.02.2022

## NATIONAL PROJECT STATUS TO UPPER BHADRA PROJECT

1540.

SHRIMATI KAVITHA MALOTHU

SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI

DR. G. RANJITH REDDY

SHRI VENKATESH NETHA BORLAKUNTA

SHRI PASUNOORI DAYAKAR

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that Investment Clearance Committee of the Ministry has given clearance to Upper Bhadra  Project  in  Karnataka  thereby  paving  the  way  to  declare  it  a  national  project  and  informed Tungabhadra Board to undertake the project and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also true that the proposal was sent to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for its approval, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  it  is  true  that  as  per  the  Inter-State  River  Disputes  Act,  1956,  opinion  of  lower  riparian States is mandatory before announcing national project status in an upper riparian State;
- (d)  if  so,  whether  opinion  of  States  of  Telangana  and  Andhra  Pradesh has been taken and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether the Ministry proposes to direct the Government of Karnataka to stop undertaking of Upper Bhadra Project, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

(SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

- (a) & (b) Upper Bhadra project (UBP) has been accepted by the Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control and Multipurpose Project (Advisory Committee) of this Ministry of Jal Shakti, in its 147th  meeting  held  in  December,  2020.  Thereafter,  in  April,  2021,  the  project  has  been  accorded investment clearance by the Investment Clearance Committee of this Ministry for estimated cost of Rs. 16,125.48 crore at 2018-19 price level.

Subsequent  to  investment  clearance,  inclusion  of  a  project  under  National  Project  scheme  of  this Ministry requires recommendation of High Powered Steering Committee (HPSC) constituted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and also necessary approvals by the Government of India.

(c) A project  is  put  up  to  the  Advisory  Committee  only  if  it  is,  inter-alia,  found  by  Central Water  Commission  (CWC)  to  be  clear  from  inter-State  aspect,  in  accordance  with  the  published guidelines.  Since  acceptance  by  Advisory  Committee  is  a  pre-requisite  for  consideration  by  HPSC, clearance from inter-State aspect is thus mandatory for a project to be considered as a National Project.

Further,  the  DPR  of  a  project  submitted  to  CWC  for  appraisal  is  required  to  be  shared  with  the other co-basin States. The views of co-basin States on the inter-State aspects, if any, are dealt with appropriately by CWC while examining the project from inter-State aspect.

(d) In March, 2021 and subsequently in July, 2021, Government of Telangana made request to Central Water Commission (CWC) to defer the clearance given by Ministry to UBP, till finalization of Award of Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT)- II. Detailed reply to both these letters has been forwarded by CWC  to  the  State Government vide  letters dated 02.06.2021 and 01.11.2021, respectively.

Further, in December, 2021 Government of Andhra Pradesh had requested, inter alia, not to go ahead with  approval  of  the  project  till  KWDT-II  decision  is  published.  A  detailed  reply  to  the  State Government has been provided in January, 2022.

In replies to both the above States, it has been emphasized that the water allocation for the project is well within the allocations made by KWDT-I to the State of Karnataka, based on which the project has been cleared from inter-State aspect.

(e) In view of the acceptance by the Advisory Committee and subsequent investment clearance by Government of India, the State Government may take up implementation of the project as per its priorities and resources.

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