NWDA identifies states to benefit from river links

New Delhi, Aug 21 (UNI) The National Water Development Agency (NWDA), which is carrying out studies of National Perspective Plan (NPP) of Water Resources Development for the river linking projects, has identified states that are to benefit from the inter-basin water transfer links.

The NWDA has also assessed the annual irrigation benefits likely to accrue to the states both in peninsular and Himalayan rivers development component. The NPP when completed will give additional benefit of 25 Mha of irrigation from surface waters, 10 Mha by increase use of ground waters, 10 Mha by using ground waters, raising the ultimate irrigation potential from 140 Mha to 175 Mha and generation of 34,000 MW of Power, apart from the incidental benefits of flood control, navigation, water supply, fisheries development, salinity and pollution control in various States.

The Himalayan component of water transfer proposal will directly benefit the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa while the states to be benefited under peninsular components were Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Feasibility Reports (FRs) of Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal, Damanganga-Pinjal, Par-Tapi-Narmada and Ken-Betwa have been completed while work was on to prepare FRs on 11 more identified projects.

The FR for Netravati-Hemavati link will start on receiving consent from Karnataka, a Water Resources Ministry release said.

FRs in the Indian portion of Ghagara-Yamuna and Sarda-Yamuna Links were complete as it involved international dimension also. The time limit on the FRs on Kosi-Mechi, Kosi-Ghagra and Gandak-Ganga link and Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga and Jogighopa-Tista-Farakka link can't be fixed for completion because of international dimension, the release said.

UNI MC SK CS1515