Lok Sabha Question No. 4491 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-19
Subject: Interlinking of Rivers between Northern and Southern Regions
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Amra Ram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4491

## ANSWERED ON 19.03.2026

## INTERLINKING OF RIVERS BETWEEN NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN REGIONS

## †4491. SHRI AMRA RAM:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  any  action  plan  or  scheme  for  interlinking  of  all  rivers  of  the  country between the northern and southern regions and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether it is a fact that half of the country is being devastated by floods during the monsoon while the other half suffers from drought and a large population is compelled to consume fluoride-contaminated water due to non-implementation of the said scheme and if so, the details thereof; and

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  that  the  said  scheme  is  the  most  appropriate  mechanism  to address these issues and if so, the details thereof along with the time by which it is likely to be implemented?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)

(a) The  Government of India formulated the National Perspective Plan (NPP) in 1980 for interlinking of rivers  (ILR)  with  the  objective  of  transferring  water  from  water-surplus  basins  to  water-deficient  regions across the country. Under the NPP, 30 ILR projects have been identified,14 under the Himalayan Component and  16  under  the  Peninsular  Component.  Under  the  Himalayan  Component,  the  Manas-Sankosh-TistaGanga-Damodar-Subernarekha-Mahanadi  linkage  system  is  envisaged  to  transfer  water  from  the  Manas basin  to  the  Ganga  and,  thereafter  to  the  Mahanadi.  Under  the  Peninsular  Component,  water  from  the Mahanadi  is  proposed  to  be  diverted  to  the  Godavari,  and  the  Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna-PennarCauvery-Vaigai-Gundar link system is planned to convey water further southwards.

The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has been entrusted with the work relating to ILR projects. NWDA has completed Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs) for all 30 links, Feasibility Reports (FRs) for 26 links, and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for 14 links.

(b)  &  (c) The  Government  is  aware  that  certain  regions  of  the  country  experience  floods  during  the monsoon,  while  others  face  drought-like  conditions.  The  National  Perspective  Plan  (NPP)  has  been formulated to address such spatial and temporal imbalances by creating storage capacities and enabling the transfer of surplus waters to deficit regions. The link projects are designed to divert floodwaters from surplus basins  to  drought-prone  areas,  reduce  the  volume  of  water  flowing  unutilised  into  the  sea,  and  support groundwater recharge, tank filling, and canal supplementation in the command areas.

The  Interlinking  of  Rivers  (ILR)  programme  is  expected  to  augment  water  availability,  enhance irrigation, improve drinking-water supply, and contribute to flood moderation. The implementation of ILR projects is undertaken in a phased manner, subject to techno-economic feasibility, inter-State agreements and statutory  clearances.  The  implementation  schedule  of  individual  ILR  projects  depends  upon  consensus among the party States and the signing of link-specific Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) by the concerned States. Further, five links have been identified as priority links under the NPP for implementation on priority basis, and work on the Ken Betwa Link Project has already commenced.