Lok Sabha Question No. 503 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: North Koel Reservoir Project
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Abhay Kumar Sinha, Shri Abhay Kumar Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 503

ANSWERED ON 25.07.2024

## NORTH KOEL RESERVOIR PROJECT

## †503. SHRI ABHAY KUMAR SINHA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the reasons for the inordinate delay in the completion of the North Koel Reservoir Project;

(b) the total funds allocated and utilised for the said ambitious projects so far;

(c)  whether  any  committee  has  been  constituted  to  monitor  the  implementation  of  the  said  project  and  if  so,  the details thereof;

(d) the funds by which the said project is likely to be completed; and

(e) the current status of the area from 0 to 31 kms which falls in Jharkhand under the said project?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) The Construction of the project started in the year 1972 by Govt. of Bihar from its own resources. The work was stopped in 1993 by the Forest Department, Govt. of Bihar due to strict enforcement of new Forest Conservation Act (1980). In the year 2016, Govt. of India decided to provide assistance for completion of balance works of the Project in order to operationalise it to realise the envisaged benefits. In August, 2017 the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for balance works of North Koel Reservoir Project. However, the progress of works at the project has been affected  due  to  several  reasons  like  time  taken  in  requisite  clearance  from  Forest  Department  of  Government  of Jharkhand,  agitation  by  the  local  villagers  at  the  dam  site  and  time  taken  by  the  Government  of  Bihar  for concurrence  of  works  to  be  carried  out  in  Bihar  portion.  Subsequently,  a  Revised  Cost  Estimate  incorporating miscellaneous  components  as  requested  by  State  Governments  was  approved  by  the  Cabinet  Committee  on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 04.10.2023. A period of 30 months from the date of approval of revised cost by CCEA has been provided for completion of balance works.

(b) The  Revised cost of balance works of the North Koel Reservoir Project is ₹2,430.76 crore which consists of central share: ₹1,836.41 crore, Bihar's share is ₹547.04 crore and Jharkhand's share is ₹47.31 crore. An amount of ₹742.54 Cr. (Central Share: ₹721.22 Cr., Bihar Share: ₹1.23 Cr. and Jharkhand share ₹20.09 Cr.) has been released for the balance works of the project till date.

(c) An  Empowered  Committee  chaired  by  Secretary,  DoWR,  RD  &  GR  and  Technical  Evaluation  Committee (TEC) chaired by Member (WP&P), CWC having members from both State Governments (Bihar and Jharkhand), Central  Water  Commission (CWC), Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) and WAPCOS have been constituted for monitoring progress of implementation of the balance works of the project.

(d) The Revised cost of balance works of the North Koel Reservoir Project is ₹2,430.76 crore.

(e) 22% works of area from 0 to 31 kms which falls in Jharkhand has been completed.