RIVER INTERLINKING PROJECTS

2025-07-28 Information

The Government of India formulated the National Perspective Plan (NPP) for the Inter-Linking of Rivers (ILR) programme to facilitate the transfer of water from surplus basins to deficit basins and regions. The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the ILR projects under the NPP framework. A total of 30 ILR projects have been identified, encompassing two major components: the Himalayan Component with 14 link projects and the Peninsular Component with 16 link projects. As of July 2025, Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs) have been completed for all 30 projects, Feasibility Reports (FRs) for 26 projects, and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for 11 link projects. The comprehensive status of individual ILR projects under the NPP is provided at below.

The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is the first interlinking initiative under the National Perspective Plan (NPP) to have entered the implementation stage. For other identified link projects under the NPP, considerations such as budgetary provisions, fund allocations, and expenditure will be taken up once these projects advance to the implementation phase.

Out of the budgetary provision of Rs. 4469.41 crore, the actual expenditure incurred for the KBLP over the last three financial years amounts to Rs. 3969.79 crore.

No protest has been observed as reported by the concerned Project Authority, District Administration and Forest Department.

As KBLP is the only project of NPP, for which implementation has been started, so information sought as related to KBLP is given below:

Under the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP), in the State of Madhya Pradesh, approximately 17,101 trees have been identified for felling to facilitate the execution of the Daudhan Dam and allied infrastructure. Of these, 12,404 trees have been felled within the Panna Tiger Reserve Forest.

As per records available at the time of issuance of Section-11 under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act, 2013), the project involves 7,193 Project Affected Families (PAFs).

As per Memorandum of Agreement dated 22.03.2021 signed by both States for implementation of the link project, Rehabilitation & Resettlement of project affected families and land acquisition for the projects within their territorial jurisdiction would be carried out by respective State Governments viz; Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh as per the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 or as per the respective State Policies. A Special R&R package has already been approved by the Government of MP on 13.09.2023.

This information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

*****

MAM/SMP

(Rajya Sabha US Q899)

Details and current status of ILR projects under the NPP

Peninsular Components

Sl.No

Name

States

benefited

Status

a. Mahanadi (Manibhadra) – Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link

Andhra Pradesh (AP)

and Odisha

FR completed

Alternate Mahanadi (Barmul) – Rushikulya – Godavari (Dowlaiswaram)

link

AP and Odisha

FR completed

(Polavaram) – Krishna

(Vijayawada) link @

AP, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana

FR completed

a. Godavari (Inchampalli) – Krishna

(Nagarjunasagar) link

Telangana

FR completed

Alternate Godavari (Inchampalli) –

Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link *

Telangana

DPR completed

Godavari (Inchampalli/

– Krishna (Pulichintala) link

Telangana and AP

DPR completed

a. Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) – Pennar

(Somasila ) link

FR completed

b. Alternate Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) –

Pennar (Somasila ) link *

DPR completed

Krishna (Srisailam) – Pennar link

Draft DPR

completed

Krishna (Almatti) – Pennar link

AP and Karnataka

Draft DPR

completed

a. Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link

AP, Tamil Nadu and

Puducherry

FR completed

b. Alternate Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery

(Grand Anicut) link *

AP, Tamil Nadu(TN)

and Puducherry

DPR completed

Cauvery (Kattalai) – Vaigai -Gundar link

DPR completed

a. Parbati –Kalisindh – Chambal link

Madhya Pradesh (MP) and

Rajasthan

FR completed

b. Modified Parbati – Kalisindh-Chambal link

(duly integrated with ERCP)

MP and Rajasthan

Draft PFR completed

Damanganga-Pinjal link

Maharashtra (only water supply to

Mumbai)

DPR completed

Par-Tapi-Narmada link

Gujarat and

Maharashtra

DPR completed

Ken-Betwa link

Uttar Pradesh (UP)

and MP

DPR completed

& project is under

implementation

Pamba – Achankovil – Vaippar link

TN and

Kerala

FR completed

Bedti – Varda link @@

Karnataka

DPR completed

Netravati – Hemavati link**

Karnataka

PFR completed

* Due to pending consensus on Manibhadra and Inchampalli dams, Alternate study to divert unutilized waters of Godavari River was carried out and DPR of Godavari (Inchampalli/ Janampet) – Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) – Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link projects were completed. Godavari- Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link project has been prepared comprising of Godavari (Inchampalli / Janampet) – Krishna (Nagarjunasagar), Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) – Pennar (Somasila) and Pennar (Somasila) Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link projects.

** Further studies are not taken up since after implementation of Yettinahole project by Government of Karnataka, no surplus water is available in Netravati basin for diversion through this link.

@ Godavari (Polavaram) – Krishna (Vijayawada) link – The project has been taken up by Government of Andhra Pradesh.

@@Bedti – Varda link – DPR was prepared directly after preparation of its PFR, no FR was prepared.

Himalayan Component

Sl.No

Nameofthelink

States / Countries

benefited

Status

Kosi-Mechi link

Bihar and Nepal

PFR completed

Kosi-Ghaghra link

Bihar, UP and Nepal

FR completed

Gandak – Ganga link

UP and Nepal

FR completed

Ghaghra – Yamuna link

UP and Nepal

Draft FR completed

Sarda – Yamuna link

UP and Uttarakhand

FR completed

Yamuna-Rajasthan link

Haryana and Rajasthan

FR completed

Rajasthan-Sabarmati link

Rajasthan and Gujarat

FR completed

Chunar-Sone Barrage link

Bihar and UP

Draft FR completed

Sone Dam – Southern

Tributaries of Ganga link

Bihar and Jharkhand

Draft FR completed

10.

Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga

(M-S-T-G) link

Assam, West Bengal

(WB) and Bihar

FR completed

11.

Jogighopa-Tista-Farakka link

(Alternative to M-S-T-G)

Assam, WB and Bihar

PFR completed

12.

Farakka-Sundarbans link

FR completed

13.

Ganga(Farakka) – Damodar-

Subarnarekha link

WB, Odisha and

Jharkhand

FR completed

14.

Subarnarekha-Mahanadi link

WB and Odisha

Alternate Mahanadi (Barmul) – Rushikulya – Godavari (Dowlaiswaram)