Madhya Pradesh

• 26 Dec 2024

PM Laid Foundation Stone of Ken-Betwa Project

Why in News? 

Recently, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Ken-Betwa river linking project at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh. 

• It is the first such initiative under the National river interlinking policy. 

 Key Points 

• The Ken-Betwa Link Project: 
  • The project aims to provide drinking water to 44 lakh people of Madhya Pradesh and 21 lakh people in Uttar Pradesh. 
  • 7.18 lakh farmer families in 2,000 villages will benefit from improved irrigation. 
  • The project will generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy. 
  • The project embodies cooperation between the central government, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, realising the late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s river-linking vision. 
• Economic and Environmental Impact: 
  • Ensures ample water for irrigation, drinking, and industrial uses. 
  • Promotes economic growth, tourism, and employment opportunities in Bundelkhand. 
  • Addresses groundwater scarcity in the drought-hit Bundelkhand region. 
• Conservation Efforts: 
  • Focus on restoring Chandela-era heritage ponds in Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, and Niwari districts. 
  • Continuous water supply to wild animals in the Panna Tiger Reserve. 
  • Flood relief for Banda district in Uttar Pradesh. 

 National Interlinking of Rivers Authority 

• The national interlinking of rivers (ILR) is the idea that rivers should be inter-connected, so that water from the surplus rivers and regions could be transferred to deficient regions and rivers to address the issue of water scarcity. 
• This led to the setup of the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) in 1982.