Lok Sabha Question No. 270 (STARRED), answered on 2016-08-04
Subject: Inter-Linking of Rivers Project
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: GAURAV GOGOI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK  SABHA

## STARRED  QUESTION  NO. * 270 ANSWERED ON 04.08.2016

## INTER-LINKING OF RIVERS PROJECT

- *270.  SHRI GAURAV GOGOI

Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether targets have been set for inter-linking of rivers, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the funds utilised so far on the projects during the last two years for each river link; and
- (c) the details of various agencies involved in execution of the projects and the time by which the projects are  likely to be completed?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION (SUSHRI UMA BHARTI)

- (a)  to (c)    A statement is laid  on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (c)  OF  STARRED QUESTION  NO.  *270  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  04.08.2016  REGARDING  INTERLINKING OF RIVERS PROJECT.

(a)to (c) The Government is pursuing the Interlinking of Rivers program in a consultative manner. The implementation  of Inter linking  of Rivers (ILR) projects involves various steps such  as  preparation  of    Pre-feasibility  Reports/Feasibility  Reports  of  links,  negotiation  and consensus  among  concerned  States,  preparation  of  Detailed  Project  Reports  (DPRs)  of  the projects, clearance from appraisal agencies, which includes clearance by Ministry of Environment & Forests  and Climate Change  and Ministry of  Tribal Affairs,  techno-economic clearance  by  Technical  Advisory  Committee  of  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  RD  &  GR, investment clearance and taking up of construction of the project as per DPR.

The projects under the ILR Programme are at various stages of planning. NWDA has incurred an expenditure of Rs.588.8 crores during the period for preparation of Preliminary Water Balance Studies, Pre Feasibility Reports, Feasibility Reports and Detailed Project Reports related to ILR programme.  NWDA  has  identified  30  links  (16  under  Peninsular  Component  &  14  under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports. After survey and investigations feasibility  Reports  of  14  links  under  Peninsular  Component  and  two  links  in  the  Himalayan components have been prepared. The DPRs of Ken-Betwa Phase I & II, Daman-Ganga-Pinjal, Par-Tapi-Narmada have been prepared and shared with the States.   Pre-Feasibility Reports of 36 Intra-State link proposals out of 46 proposals of Intra-State links have been completed.

These  DPRs  are  at  various  stages  of  approval.    The  in-principle  approval  of  the  Standing Committee of the National Wild Life Board has been received for the Ken-Betwa link Project. In order to speed up the implementation of Inter-Linking of River Programme and to arrive at a consensus  on  the  link  proposals  between  the  States,  a  'Special  Committee  for  Interlinking  of Rivers', has been constituted by this  Ministry in September, 2014. Ten meetings of the Special Committee  for  Interlinking  of  Rivers  (ILR)  have  been  held  so  far,  wherein  State  Irrigation/ Water Resources Ministers along with the Secretaries of various States attended the meetings. The Committee after considering the views of all the stakeholders is taking all necessary steps for expediting the objectives of interlinking rivers programme as per terms of reference of the Committee.

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