Chambal-Parvati-Kalisindh River-Linking Project

Bhopal, Dec 27 (UNI) With Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring Rajasthan agreeing in principle to the Chambal-Parvati-Kalisindh River-Linking Project, a memorandum of understanding is likely to be inked next year, official sources said.

The Centre and the two states will possibly sign an agreement to prepare a detailed project report. The National Water Development Authority (NWDA) has prepared a feasibility report on the project that has been a subject of discussion between the states for more than two years. The venture's chief basis is to provide irrigation for Malwa region's drought-affected areas.

Malwa's irrigation facilities percentage is a dismal 5.54 and the groundwater level has plummetted. Courtesy the project, irrigation facilities would be available in the upper Chambal basin's drought-affected Ujjain, Dhar, Shajapur and Ratlam districts.

The NWDA report proposed two main courses of action that were deliberated on during official meetings here and at Jaipur over the past two-and-a-half years. At a ministerial meeting here on April 17 last year, the states agreed in principle. That gathering decided to form a committee of the states' Water Resources' principal secretaries, principal engineers and chief engineers.

The committee attempted to provide final shape to the project by discussing all courses of action including financial and technical issues. During a meeting at Jaipur in August, Madhya Pradesh Water Resources Minister Anup Mishra made a suggestion whereby the submergence area would be minimal. The states decided to conduct a related survey. The Central Water Commission ayed the suggestion.

A chief ministers' meeting would take the final decision on the project.

The Ken-Betwa River-Linking Project agreement was inked on August 25, 2005 between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

UNI