NWDA sought Rs 241 cr outlay for 11th Five Year Plan

New Delhi, Apr 16 (UNI) The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has sought an outlay of Rs 241 crore for the 11th Five Year Plan.

According to official sources, out of the 30 links identified for preparation of feasibility reports under National Perspective Plan for Water Resources Development (16 Peninsular and 14 Himalayan), NWDA has prepared feasibility reports (FRs)for 14 links under Peninsular Component and 2 under Himalayan Component (Indian portion only).

The implementation of Interlinking of rivers depends upon the consensus and cooperation of the States. Consensus has been arrived for one priority link namely Ken-Betwa for which Government of Madhya Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh and Centre signed a tripartite MoU on 25th August 2005 for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR).

NWDA has incurred expenditure amounting to Rs 19.7 crore for 2003-04, Rs 21.3 crore for 2004-05 and Rs 17 crore for 2005-06 for carrying out various studies pertaining to Inter basin water transfers including preparation of DPR of Ken-Betwa link. The expenditure is not booked State-wise by NWDA.

Earlier, the Ministry of irrigation and Central Water Commission (CWC) which later on converted to Ministry of Water Resources formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Water Resources Development in 1980 envisaging inter-basin transfer of water from surplus basins to deficit basins/areas for optimum utilization of water Resources. The NPP comprises two components, namely, Himalayan Rivers Development Component and Peninsular Rivers Development Component. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was set up under the Ministry of Water Resources in 1982 for carrying out various technical studies to establish the feasibility of the proposals of NPP, the sources added.

UNI