**Executive Summary**
This document, posted on February 5, 2026, by PIB Delhi from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, provides an update on the Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) and Major Irrigation Projects. It outlines the status of feasibility and project reports, the progress of priority projects such as the Ken-Betwa Link Project, and general information on environmental assessments and cost-sharing arrangements. The annexure details specific link projects, their progress, and associated benefits.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Project Status:**
* Feasibility Reports (FRs) completed for 26 links.
* Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) completed for 13 links out of 30 identified ILR projects under the National Perspective Plan (NPP).
* No river interlinking project under the NPP pertains to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
* Annexure provides status of river interlinking projects including Godavari-Krishna River link, Krishna (Alamatti)-Pennar link, Bedti-Varada Link, Netravati-Hemavathi link and Ken-Betwa link those received sanctions/ approvals or recorded progress in last five years in the country.
* **Ken-Betwa Link Project:**
* The Ken-Betwa Link Project is the only priority link currently in the implementation stage.
* Estimated cost: ₹44,605 crore, with ₹39,317 crore of central support.
* **Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP):**
* The Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP), which includes the Godavari (Polavaram)–Krishna (Vijayawada) link, has received cumulative Central Assistance of ₹20,658 crore.
* **North Koel Reservoir Project:**
* An inter-State major irrigation project spanning Bihar and Jharkhand.
* Approved cost: ₹2,430.76 crore, including a central share of ₹1,836.41 crore.
* Revised completion time: June 2026.
* Irrigation potential: 1,14,021 hectares.
* **Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA):**
* EIAs are conducted for every interlinking project during the FR and DPR preparation to assess environmental and socio-economic impacts.
* Statutory environmental and wildlife clearances are obtained as required by law.
* **Project Approval:**
* Proposals are submitted for appraisal and central support consideration after participating states sign implementation agreements.
* Cost-sharing arrangements between the Centre and States are not uniform and are determined individually for each project.
* **Project Benefits:**
* Benefits include irrigation potential, drinking water availability, and overall regional water security (details in Annexure).
* **Institutional Mechanisms:**
* The ILR program is guided by institutional mechanisms such as the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers (SCILR), the Governing Body of National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and the Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers (TFILR).
* NWDA study reports are shared with States for comments and are duly incorporated.
**Impact Analysis**
**Central and State Governments**
* **Impact**: Requires coordination for project implementation, cost-sharing arrangements, and adherence to environmental and legal requirements.
* **Action Required**: Sign implementation agreements, submit proposals for appraisal, determine cost-sharing arrangements, and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
**Participating States**
* **Impact**: Influences irrigation potential, drinking water availability, and regional water security.
* **Action Required**: Review technical, environmental, social and water-sharing aspects in the shared NWDA study reports and provide comments for incorporation.
**Riparian Communities**
* **Impact**: Affected by potential environmental and socio-economic changes.
* **Action Required**: No immediate action listed but will be part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and required to seek for statutory environmental and wildlife clearances.
Key Entities Referenced
National Perspective Plan (NPP): Framework under which the interlinking of rivers (ILR) projects are identified and developed.
Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) projects: The central subject matter, referring to the various river linking projects discussed in the document.
Ken-Betwa Link Project: A priority river interlinking project that has entered the implementation stage.
Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP): An irrigation project including the Godavari-Krishna link that has received Central Assistance.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The ministry responsible for the Interlinking of Rivers project
Ministry of Jal Shakti
INTERLINKING OF RIVERS AND MAJOR
IRRIGATION PROJECTS
Posted On: 05 FEB 2026 4:42PM by PIB Delhi
The Feasibility Reports (FRs) for 26 links and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for 13 links have been
completed out of 30 identified interlinking of rivers (ILR) projects under the National Perspective Plan
(NPP). Further, under the NPP, no interlinking of rivers project pertains to the Union Territory of
Jammu and Kashmir. The status of river interlinking projects including Godavari-Krishna River link,
Krishna (Alamatti)-Pennar link, Bedti-Varada Link, Netravati-Hemavathi link and Ken-Betwa link
those received sanctions/ approvals or recorded progress in last five years in the country are provided
in the Annexure.
The Ken–Betwa Link Project is the only priority link that has entered the implementation stage. It has
an estimated cost of ₹44,605 crore, with ₹39,317 crore of central support. The Polavaram Irrigation
Project (PIP), which includes the Godavari (Polavaram)–Krishna (Vijayawada) link, has received
cumulative Central Assistance of ₹20,658 crore.
The North Koel Reservoir Project is an inter-State major irrigation project with its command area
spread across the States of Bihar and Jharkhand. The approved cost of the project is ₹2,430.76 crore,
including a central share of ₹1,836.41 crore. The revised completion time of the project is June 2026.
The irrigation potential of said project is 1,14,021 hectares.
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is undertaken for every interlinking of rivers project
during the preparation of FR and DPR to assess environmental and socio-economic impacts, including
those on riparian communities. Statutory environmental and wildlife clearances are obtained as
required under prevailing laws. After participating States sign implementation agreements, proposals
are submitted for appraisal and consideration of central support. The Cost-sharing arrangements
between the Centre and States are not uniform and are determined individually for each project.
The likely benefits of these projects covering irrigation potential, drinking water availability and
overall regional water security are provided in Annexure.
To ensure transparency, ecological sustainability and equitable water distribution, the ILR programme
is guided by strong institutional mechanisms such as the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers
(SCILR), the Governing Body of National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and the Task Forcefor Interlinking of Rivers (TFILR). These platforms enable States to review technical, environmental,
social and water-sharing aspects. All NWDA study reports are shared with States for comments, which
are duly incorporated.
The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI SHRI C R PATIL in a
written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
***
ND
(Lok Sabha SQ 92)
ANNEXURE
DETAILS OF LINK PROJECTS THAT RECORDED PROGRESS OR RECEIVED
APPROVALS DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS ALONG WITH ITS BENEFITS.
Sl. Name States Annual Domestic Hydro
No benefited Irrigation & power
(Lakh ha) Industrial
(MW)
(MCM)Ken-Betwa link Uttar 10.62 (UP- 194 103 MW
Project (KBLP) Pradesh 2.51 MP. - (Hydro) &
(UP) & 8.11) 27MW(Sola
Madhya
Pradesh
(MP)Godavari Telangana 2.38 232 26
(Inchampalli) -
Krishna
(Nagarjunasagar)
link
Krishna Andhra 1.71 236 40
(Nagarjunasagar)- Pradesh
Pennar (Somasila) (AP)
link
Pennar (Somasila) - AP 0.51 43
Cauvery
(Manimuktha) link Tamil 1.14 618
Nadu
Puducherry -- 62
Modified Parbati- MP & Benefits as Benefits as -
Kalisindh-Chambal Rajasthan per MoA: per MoA:
link MP - 6.11
MP-(71.39
Rajasthan drinking
– 4.03 +21.50
industrial)
Total =
= 92.9
10.15 lakh
ha Rajasthan
–(1744.16
drinking +
205.75
industrial)
= 1949.91
Total =
2043
MCMKrishna (Almatti) – Karnataka 0.69 464.51 ----
Pennar link
AP 1.57 10.1- ----
Drinking
water
22.3-
Industrial
Bedti - Varda link Karnataka 1.05 38 ----
Netravati – Karnataka 0.34 -- --
Hemavati link
Godavari Telangana TOTAL Telangana- 90.0
(SSMP/Inchampalli) & AP 4.74 26.8
-Krishna
Telangana
(Pulichintala) link
- 0.36
AP - 4.38 AP - 319.7
10. Godavari AP 4.36 665 960
(Polavaram) -
Krishna
(Viayawada) link
(Polavaram
irrigation project)11 Krishna (Srisailam) AP 1.79 58 11
– Pennar link
Kosi-Ghaghra link Bihar, U.P Total 8.35 0 --
& Nepal
6.05 –
Bihar
1.20 – U.P
Nepal
-1.10
13 Gandak - Ganga U.P & Total - 700 4375 (Dam
link Nepal 34.58 PH) & 180
(Canal PH)
U.P -28.80
Nepal
-5.78
14 Yamuna-Rajasthan Haryana & Haryana - 30 1702
link Rajasthan 0.11
Rajasthan-
2.40
15 Rajasthan- Rajasthan Total - 102 5126
Sabarmati link & Gujarat 11.53
Rajasthan
- 11.21
Gujarat-
0.32
16 Chunar-Sone Bihar & Total - -- --
Barrage link U.P 0.60
Bihar -
0.10
U.P. - 0.4917. Ganga (Farakka) - W.B., W.B. 432 --
Damodar- Odisha& -11.18
Subarnarekha link Jharkhand
Orissa-
0.39
Jharkhand-
0.73
18. Subarnarekha- W.B. & Total - 198 20
Mahanadi link Odisha 2.16
W.B. -
0.18
Orissa -
1.98
*****
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