Executive Summary:
The Government of India addresses desilting of water bodies and dams through schemes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) and Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP). PMKSY includes Repair, Renovation, and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies, with Rs. 545.35 crore released until March 31, 2025. DRIP Phase II and III aim to improve dam safety with a completion target of March 2031, but does not have dedicated desilting funds.
Key Points / Main Content:
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY):
• RRR of Water Bodies is a component of PMKSY-Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP).
• Central assistance considers desilting, conveyance system repairs, bund strengthening, weir and sluice repairs, catchment treatment, command area development, and soil erosion prevention.
• Rs. 545.35 crore released as central assistance from FY 2016-17 to March 31, 2025.
• Restored irrigation potential of 1.20 lakh hectares and revived 191 million cubic meters (MCM) of water storage capacity as of March 2025.
• State-wise details of central assistance, irrigation potential, and storage revival are in Annexure I.
Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP):
• DRIP Phase II and III aims to improve dam safety and efficiency through rehabilitation, emergency plans, and capacity building.
• No dedicated fund allocation for desilting, but need-based desiltation of selected dams is considered.
• Involves nineteen States and three Central Agencies for rehabilitating selected dams.
• Phase II is co-financed by the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
• Completion period is March 2031.
• Details of fund allocation to implementing agencies are in Annexure II.
• Benefits include improved dam safety, operational performance, and institutional strengthening.
Tungabhadra Dam (Karnataka):
• Karnataka Water Resources Department (WRD) rehabilitated civil structures under its jurisdiction through DRIPII.
• The proposal did not include desilting.
• Works focused on seepage reduction, embankment restoration, energy dissipation repairs, and instrumentation.
• Expenditure on civil rehabilitation was Rs. 34.60 Crore against the awarded work of Rs. 41.55 Crores.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments:
Impact: Receive central assistance under PMKSY for water body restoration and may participate in DRIP for dam rehabilitation.
Action Required: Utilize funds for desilting and restoration projects, submit proposals for dam rehabilitation under DRIP.
Karnataka Water Resources Department:
Impact: Rehabilitated the Tungabhadra Dam without desilting provisions.
Action Required: Consider future proposals for desilting the Tungabhadra Dam.
Implementing Agencies (Under DRIP):
Impact: Receive funds for dam rehabilitation and improvement projects.
Action Required: Implement rehabilitation projects as per the approved plan and budget, focusing on dam safety and operational performance.
Beneficiary Farmers:
Impact: Benefit from improved irrigation potential and water storage capacity through the RRR scheme.
Action Required: Utilize restored irrigation facilities for agricultural activities.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY): A Government of India scheme focused on enhancing agricultural productivity through improved water management and irrigation.
Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP): A component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) focused on providing irrigation access to every farm.
Repair, Renovation, and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies: A scheme incorporated as part of PMKSY-HKKP, focused on the repair, renovation, and restoration of water bodies.
Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP): A Government of India scheme aimed at improving the safety and performance of dams.
Tungabhadra Dam, Karnataka: A dam located in Karnataka for which specific funds for desilting, development and maintenance were requested.
Karnataka Water Resources Department (KaWRD): The state government agency responsible for the management and rehabilitation of water resources in Karnataka, including the Tungabhadra Dam.
World Bank: An international financial institution co-financing the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (DRIP) Phase II & III.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): An international financial institution co-financing the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (DRIP) Phase II & III.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 909
ANSWERED ON 24.07.2025
DESILTING OF WATER BODIES
909. SHRI G KUMAR NAIK
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) the schemes/programmes being implemented by the Government for the desilting of water bodies and
dams;
(b) whether the Government has allocated any funds for desilting, restoration and renovation of water
bodies and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
(c) the details of the funds allocated and the benefits provided under the schemes of Repair, Renovation,
and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies and the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP),
State-wise; and
(d) whether specific funds have been allocated for the desilting, development and maintenance of the
Tungabhadra Dam in Karnataka and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (c) The Government of India is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna
(PMKSY) with Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP) as one of its components and the Repair, Renovation and
Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies schemes have been incorporated as part of PMKSY-HKKP. Works
related to desilting of water bodies, repairing conveyance systems, strengthening bunds, repairing weirs
and sluices, catchment treatment, command area development, and soil erosion prevention are being
considered for central assistance under RRR of Water Bodies component of PMKSY-HKKP.
The Government of India has released Rs. 545.35 crore as central assistance to various States under
the Repair, Renovation, and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies scheme, a component of the Pradhan
Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – Har Khet Ko Pani (PMKSY-HKKP), from the financial year 2016–17
up to 31st March 2025. As a result, an irrigation potential of 1.20 lakh hectares has been restored, and 191
million cubic meters (MCM) of water storage capacity has been revived as of March 2025. State-wise
details are provided in Annexure-I.
The Government of India is also implementing externally funded Scheme Dam Rehabilitation and
Improvement Program (DRIP) Phase II &III which aims to improve dam safety and efficiency. It includes
rehabilitation, emergency plans, and capacity-building. Under the scheme, there is no dedicated fund
1allocation for de-silting, however, provision for carrying out need based de-siltation of selected dams
exists.
The Scheme has provision of onboarding nineteen (19) States, and three Central Agencies for
rehabilitating their selected dams. The Phase II is being cofinanced by World Bank and Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The completion period of the scheme is March, 2031.
Details of fund allocation to all implementing agencies under the Externally Aided Dam
Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & III, as approved by the Union Cabinet, are
provided in Annexure-II. Benefits generally include improved safety and operational performance of
rehabilitated dam along with dam safety institutional strengthening.
(d) The Karnataka Water Resources Department rehabilitated the civil structures of the Tungabhadra Dam
under its jurisdiction. However, the proposal submitted by Karnataka WRD did not include any provision
for de-silting of the Tungabhadra Dam. The works were limited to seepage reduction measures (such as
grouting and pointing), restoration of the downstream embankment, repairs to the energy dissipation
arrangements, and some instrumentation works in the dam. The expenditure incurred on civil rehabilitation
works towards left part of the Tungabhadra dam which is under jurisdiction of Karnataka is Rs. 34.60
Crore against the awarded work of Rs. 41.55 Crores under DRIP-II Scheme.
***
2ANNEXURE -I
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARREED QUESTION
NO. 909 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.07.2025 REGARDING “DESILTING OF
WATER BODIES”
Details of Central Assistance released, Irrigation potential created and Storage revival under
PMKSY-HKKP (Since 2016-17 to 2024-25)
Central Assistance Irrigation Revival of Storage
Sl
State Released (Rs. In Potential (MCM)
No.
Cr.) restored (Th ha)
1 Andhra Pradesh 2.70
2 Bihar 41.76 21.80 87.92
3 Gujarat 14.54 3.90 0.0
4 Madhya Pradesh 0.00 8.00 0.03
5 Manipur 27.96 0.62 5.74
6 Meghalaya 2.66 0.88 0.44
7 Nagaland 15.74 0.0 0.0
8 Odisha 151.56 33.83 22.20
9 Rajasthan 82.01 17.77 11.52
10 Tamil Nadu 146.74 14.25 4.77
11 Telangana 59.68 16.31 54.37
12 Uttar Pradesh 0.00 2.35 4.29
Total 545.35 119.71 191.28
3ANNEXURE -II
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARREED QUESTION
NO. 909 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.07.2025 REGARDING “DESILTING OF
WATER BODIES”
Details of fund allocation as approved by the Union Cabinet under the Externally Aided Dam
Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & III
S.no. State/Agency Union Cabinet Allocation for Ph II and III
Ph II Cost (Rs. In Cr.) Ph III Cost (Rs. In Cr.)
1 AP WRD 336 331
2 BBMB 70 160
3 Chhattisgarh WRD 133 0
4 DVC 44 100
5 Goa WRD 58 0
6 Gujrat WRD 201 199
7 Jharkhand WRD 57 181
8 KaWRD (incl. KPCL) 308 304
9a Kerala SEBL 75 75
9b Kerala WRD 166 0
10 Maharashtra WRD 379 561
11 Manipur WRD 156 155
12 MePGCL 221 220
13 MP WRD 100 86
14 Odisha WRD 403 401
15 Punjab WRD 196 246
16 Rajasthan WRD 503 462
17a TANGEDCO 227 227
17b TN WRD 303 307
18 Telangana WRD 276 269
19 UJVNL 171 103
20 UP I&WRD 396 391
21 West Bengal I&WD 43 41
22 CWC 285 285
Total 5107 5104
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