River linking project worth ₹60,000-cr gains momentum

The central government is looking for funds of ₹60,000 crore for the project linking Godavari and Cauvery rivers. The Jal Shakti ministry also reviewed the status of 47 intra-state river link proposals from nine states. In case of Godavari-Cauvery river linking project, sources said that the interlinking project would save 1,200 tmc ft of Godavari water that flows into the sea. This water would be utilized for irrigation by farmers of Tamil Nadu and envisages to link rivers of Krishna, Godavari, Cauvery, and Pennar. Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Rattan Lal Kataria, held a meeting of the Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers (ILR). The DPR of Ken-Betwa Inter-State Link Project, that involves Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, has been finalized and work is likely to start soon. The status of Par-Tapi-Narmada Link, Damanganga-Pinjal, Damanganga-Vaitarna-Godavari, Damanganga (Ekdare)-Godavari link, Bedti-Varda link, and Cauvery (Kattalai)-Vaigai-Gundar link projects were reviewed. Also, a key proposal pertaining to the diversion of Godavari water up to Cauvery basin, integration of Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link and Manas-SankoshTeesta-Ganga (MSTG) link were also deliberated. Officials also discussed restructuring of several authorities such as the National Water Development Agency, the National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA) and the Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers.