Madhya Pradesh State PCS

• 01 Jul 2024

River Linking Project

Why in News?

Recently, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Chief Ministers signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the Rs 72,000 crore Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal river linking project in Bhopal.

• This project aims to harvest surplus water available during the rainy season in rivers in Southern Rajasthan such as Chambal and its tributaries, including Kunnu, Parvati, Kalisindh, and use this water in south-eastern districts of the state, where there is scarcity of water for drinking and irrigation.

Key Points

• The project would provide water to 13 districts in Rajasthan, and Malwa and Chambal regions in Madhya Pradesh.
  • It would also aid in irrigating at least 2.8 lakh hectares in both states, including supplementing rural tanks.
• Both the states would benefit from the river linking project, which would also strengthen the relations between the states.
• Efforts will also be made to build a corridor from Khatu Shyam temple in Rajasthan to Mahakal Shiv temple in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.

Chambal River

• It originates at the Singar Chouri peak in the northern slopes of the Vindhya mountains (Indore, Madhya Pradesh). From there, it flows in the North direction in Madhya Pradesh for a length of about 346 km and then follows a north-easterly direction for a length of 225 km through Rajasthan.
• It enters Uttar Pradesh and flows for about 32 km before joining the Yamuna River in Etawah District.
• It is a rainfed river and its basin is bounded by the Vindhyan mountain ranges and the Aravallis. The Chambal and its tributaries drain the Malwa region of northwestern Madhya Pradesh.
• The Hadauti plateau in Rajasthan occurs in the upper catchment of the Chambal River to the southeast of the Mewar Plains.
• Tributaries: Banas, Kali Sindh, Sipra, Parbati, etc.
• Main Power Projects/ Dam: Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, Jawahar Sagar Dam, and Kota Barrage.
• The National Chambal Sanctuary is located along river Chambal on the tri-junction of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. 
  • It is known for critically endangered gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle, and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.