Lok Sabha Question No. 1145 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-05
Subject: Scheme for Interlinking of Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1145

ANSWERED ON 05.02.2026

## SCHEME FOR INTERLINKING OF RIVERS

## †1145.  SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the current status of the scheme for interlinking of rivers;

(b) whether several interlinking of rivers projects are running behind their scheduled time-limit and if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) the details of the meetings held so far of the High-Powered Committee constituted on the order of the Supreme Court for the planning and implementation of interlinking of rivers;

(d) whether the said Committee has conducted any study regarding the feasibility of this project and the assessment of its impacts on environment, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and (e) the action taken by the Government on the various Detailed Project Reports prepared with regard to the river interlinking projects?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) & (b) Under the National Perspective Plan (NPP), the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has completed the Pre-Feasibility Reports for all 30 identified link projects, Feasibility Reports (FRs) for 26 links, and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for 13 links.

The progress and implementation of Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) projects depend upon inter-State consensus, as well as several factors such as demands for enhanced water allocations by recipient States, and complex technical, environmental, and rehabilitation issues. These aspects collectively influence the overall progress of ILR projects.

Further, works under the Ken-Betwa Link Project have commenced, with completion targeted for March 2030. The consolidated status of all link projects is placed at Annexure.

(c) & (d) In compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court, a Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers (SCILR) was constituted on 23.09.2014  to review and facilitate planning and implementation of the ILR Programme. A total of twenty-four meetings of the Committee have been held so far.

For  ILR  projects,  a  structured  process  is  followed,  beginning  with  Pre-Feasibility  Studies,  the preparation of  FR and  DPRs, supported by detailed surveys, investigations, and technical  analyses. An Environmental Impact Assessment is undertaken for each project.

(e) For the preparation of DPRs, a Memorandum of Understanding is signed among the concerned States. After  preparation,  the  DPR  is  circulated  to  the  party  States  for  their  views  and  is  finalized  after incorporating  their  suitable  suggestions.  A  project  is  taken  forward  for  implementation  only  after consensus is achieved among the States and a Memorandum of Agreement for implementation is signed by them.

***

## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1145  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  05.02.2026  REGARDING  'SCHEME  FOR  INTERLINKING OF RIVERS'.

## Details and current status of ILR projects under the NPP

## Peninsular Component

|   Sl. No | Name                                                                   | States benefited                          | Status                                                    |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link                   | Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Odisha            | FR completed                                              |
|        1 | Alternate Mahanadi (Barmul)- Rushikulya-Godavari Dowlaiswaram) link    | AP and Odisha                             | FR completed                                              |
|        2 | Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada) link@                      | AP, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana  | FR Completed                                              |
|        3 | a.) Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link             | Telangana                                 | FR completed                                              |
|        3 | b.) Alternate Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link * | Telangana                                 | DPR completed                                             |
|        4 | Godavari (Inchampalli/ SSMPP) - Krishna (Pulichintala) link            | Telangana and AP                          | DPR completed                                             |
|        5 | a.) Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila ) link                 | AP                                        | FR completed                                              |
|        5 | b.)Alternate Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila ) link *      | AP                                        | DPR completed                                             |
|        6 | Krishna (Srisailam) - Pennar link                                      | AP                                        | DPR Completed                                             |
|        7 | Krishna (Almatti) - Pennar link                                        | Karnataka &AP                             | DPR completed                                             |
|        8 | a.) Pennar (Somasila) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link                    | AP, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry             | FR completed                                              |
|        8 | b.) Alternate Pennar (Somasila) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link *        | AP, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry             | DPR completed                                             |
|        9 | Cauvery (Kattalai) - Vaigai -Gundar link                               | Tamil Nadu                                | DPR completed                                             |
|       10 | Parbati -Kalisindh - Chambal link                                      | Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Rajasthan         | FR completed                                              |
|       10 | b) Modified Parbati - Kalisindh-Chambal link                           | MP and Rajasthan                          | MoA for implementation has been signed by both the States |
|       11 | Damanganga - Pinjal link                                               | Maharashtra (only water supply to Mumbai) | DPR completed and dropped from status of 'priority links' |
|       12 | Par-Tapi-Narmada link                                                  | Gujarat and Maharashtra                   | DPR completed and dropped from status of 'priority links' |
|       13 | Ken-Betwa link                                                         | Uttar Pradesh (UP) and MP                 | DPR completed and project is under implementation         |
|       14 | Pamba - Achankovil - Vaippar link                                      | Tamil Nadu and Kerala                     | FR completed                                              |
|       15 | Bedti - Varda link@@                                                   | Karnataka                                 | DPR completed                                             |
|       16 | Netravati - Hemavati link***                                           | Karnataka                                 | PFR completed                                             |

* Due to pending consensus on Manibhadra and Inchampalli dams, Phase-I of Project to divert unutilized waters  of  Godavari  river,  Study  was  carried  out  and  DPR  of  Godavari  (Inchampalli)  -  Krishna (Nagarjunasagar)  -  Pennar  (Somasila)  -  Cauvery  (Grand  Anicut)  link  projects  (combined)  called  as Godavari-Cauvery link was completed. The report has further been updated terminating the link canal at Manimukhtanadi, a Tributary of Vellar river flowing adjacent to Cauvery basin.
- @@ Bedti - Varda Link - DPR was prepared directly after preparation of its PFR, no FR was prepared.
- @ Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada) Link- the project has been taken up by Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and is under execution by Polavaram Project Authority.
- ***  Netravati  -  Hemavati  link:  Further  studies  not  taken  up  after  PFR  preparation  since  after implementation of Yettinahole project by Govt. of Karnataka, no surplus water is available in Netravati basin for diversion through this link.

## Himalayan Component

|   Sl. No | Name                                                  | States / Countries benefited        | Status                                        |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Kosi-Mechi link**                                     | Bihar and Nepal                     | PFR completed                                 |
|        2 | Kosi-Ghaghra link                                     | Bihar, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Nepal | FR completed                                  |
|        3 | Gandak - Ganga link                                   | UP and Nepal                        | FR completed                                  |
|        4 | Ghaghra - Yamuna link                                 | UP and Nepal                        | FR completed                                  |
|        5 | Sarda - Yamuna link                                   | UP and Uttarakhand                  | FR completed                                  |
|        6 | Yamuna-Rajasthan link                                 | Haryana and Rajasthan               | FR completed                                  |
|        7 | Rajasthan-Sabarmati link                              | Rajasthan and Gujarat               | FR completed                                  |
|        8 | Chunar - Sone Barrage link                            | Bihar and UP                        | FR completed                                  |
|        9 | Sone Dam - Southern Tributaries of Ganga link         | Bihar and Jharkhand                 | Draft FR completed                            |
|       10 | Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga (M-S- T-G) link             | Assam, West Bengal and Bihar        | FR completed                                  |
|       11 | Jogighopa-Tista-Farakka link (Alternative to M-S-T-G) | Assam, WBand Bihar                  | PFR completed (The proposal has been dropped) |
|       12 | Farakka-Sundarbans link                               | WB                                  | FR completed                                  |
|       13 | Ganga (Farakka) - Damodar- Subarnarekha link          | WB, Odisha and Jharkhand            | FR completed                                  |
|       14 | Subarnarekha-Mahanadi link                            | WBand Odisha                        | FR completed                                  |

Out of 30 link projects, 4 FRs are not required to be prepared:

- **Kosi-Mechi Inter State link - PFR prepared and proposal was dropped due to international issues, subsequently, on request of Govt. of Bihar, NWDA has taken up Kosi-Mechi Intra State link project.

Jogighopa-Tista-Farakka link - PFR prepared and proposal dropped

Bedti - Varda link - DPR was prepared directly after preparation of its PFR, no FR was prepared.

Netravati  -  Hemavati  link  -  Further  studies  after  PFR  preparation,  are  not  taken  up  since  after implementation  of  Yettinahole  project  by  Govt.  of  Karnataka,  as  no  surplus  water  is  available  in Netravati basin for diversion through this link.

*****