Parliament Question: Interlinking of rivers and major irrigation projects

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1045 ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026 INTERLINKING OF RIVERS AND MAJOR IRRIGATION PROJECTS 1045 SHRI RYAGA KRISHNAIAH: SHRI KESRIDEVSINH JHALA: SHRI AMAR PAL MAURYA: SHRI SHAMBHU SHARAN PATEL: SHRI BABURAM NISHAD: SHRI MITHLESH KUMAR: Smt. MAMATA MOHANTA: Will the Minister of Jal Shakti be pleased to state: (a) the status of river interlinking projects that recorded progress or approvals during the last three years; (b) whether milestones have been achieved in priority links such as Ken–Betwa project; (c) whether environmental or rehabilitation issues have affected implementation schedules; (d) if so, the details thereof; (e) the amount of cost sharing between the Centre and States is being managed; and (f) the projected benefits in terms of irrigation and drinking water availability? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY) (a) to (f) Government of India formulated National Perspective Plan (NPP) in year, 1980 for Inter-Basin Water Transfer and 30 Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) Projects have been identified under NPP (16 link projects under Peninsular component and 14 link projects under Himalayan component). National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has been entrusted with the work of ILR. The Details of projects including the priority links, along with their projected benefits in terms of irrigation and drinking water availability, that recorded progress or approvals during the last three years is enclosed at 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 and is planned to be completed in period of 8 years by March 2030. The Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP), which includes the Godavari (Polavaram)-Krishna (Vijayawada) link, has received cumulative Central Assistance of ₹ 20,658 crore. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is undertaken for every interlinking of river project during the preparation of FR and DPR to assess environmental and socio-economic impact. After participating States sign implementation agreements, proposals are submitted for appraisal and consideration of central support. A comprehensive EIA was taken up for Ken Betwa Link Project. Environmental issues have not affected implementation schedule of this project. The Cost-sharing arrangements between the Centre and States are not uniform and are determined individually for each project. *** 1ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1045 TO BE ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 09.02.2026 REGARDING “INTERLINKING OF RIVERS AND MAJOR IRRIGATION PROJECTS”. DETAILS OF LINK PROJECTS THAT RECORDED PROGRESS OR RECEIVED APPROVALS DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS ALONG WITH ITS BENEFITS. Sl. Name States Annual Domestic Hydro Year of Status No benefitIrrigation & power comple ed (Lakh ha) Industria (MW) tion of l (MCM) FR/DP R 1. Ken-Betwa link Uttar 10.62 (UP- 194 103 DPR Govt. of India has approved Project (KBLP) Prades 2.51 MP. - MW complet the implementation of h (UP) 8.11) (Hydro ed in KBLP in December 2021 & ) & 2018 with an estimated cost of Rs Madhy 27MW 44605 crore (year 2020-21 a (Solar) price level) with central Prades support of Rs 36,290 crore h (MP) through a Special Purpose Vehicle viz; Ken Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA). Honourable Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone for project on 25.12.2024. The project is to complete by March 2030. 2. Godavari Telang 2.38 232 26 DPR 1. DPR for this modified (Inchampalli) -ana complet proposal was circulated to Krishna ed in party States in January 2024 (Nagarjunasagar) January, 2. Draft MoA for link 2024 implementation was 3. Krishna Andhra 1.71 236 40 DPR circulated among party (Nagarjunasagar)Prades complet states in April 2024. - Pennar h (AP) ed in (Somasila) link January, 2024 4. Pennar AP 0.51 43 (Somasila) - DPR Cauvery Tamil complet (Manimuktha) Nadu 1.14 618 ed in link January, Puduch 2024 -- 62 erry 5. Modified MP & Benefits as Benefits - MoA Memorandum of Parbati- Rajasthper MoA: as per for Understanding (MoU) for Kalisindh- an MP - 6.11 MoA: implem preparation of DPR was Chambal link Rajasthan –MP- entation signed by both the States 4.03 (71.39 has (MP and Rajasthan) on Total = drinking been 28.01.2024. 210.15 lakh +21.50 signed Memorandum of ha industrial) in year Agreement (MoA) for = 92.9 2024 implementation has been Rajasthan signed in December 2024. –(1744.16 DPRs of components of drinking Rajasthan have been + 205.75 completed and uploaded on industrial) e-PAMS Portal of CWC. = 1949.91 T otal = 2043 MCM 6. Krishna Karnat 0.69 464.51 ---- DPR Completed in September 2025. (Almatti) – aka Pennar link AP 1.57 10.1- ---- Drinking water 22.3- Industrial 7. Bedti - Varda Karnat 1.05 38 ---- DPR Presently, PFR of link aka completed in alternate link has been September submitted to State in 2022. August 2025. 8. Godavari Telang TOTAL Telangana90.0 DPR completed in March 2024 (SSMP/Inchamp ana & 4.74 - 26.8 alli) -Krishna AP Telangana - (Pulichintala) 0.36 link AP - 4.38 AP - 319.7 9. Godavari AP 4.36 665 960 DPR was Benefits included here (Polavaram) - completed in are the total benefit Krishna 2005 under Polavaram (Viayawada) link Irrigation project. (Polavaram irrigation project) 10. Krishna AP 1.79 58 11 DPR (Srisailam) – completed in Pennar link March 2024 11. Kosi-Ghaghra Bihar, Total 8.35 0 -- FR link U.P & 6.05 – completed in Nepal Bihar March 2023 1.20 – U.P Nepal -1.10 12. Gandak - Ganga U.P & Total - 700 4375 FR link Nepal 34.58 (Dam completed in U.P -28.80 PH) & June 2024 Nepal -5.78 180 (Canal PH) 13. Chunar-Sone Bihar Total - 0.60 -- -- FR completed Barrage link & U.P Bihar - in September, 0.10 2025 U.P. - 0.49 ***** 3