Cabinet okays Ken-Betwa river interlinking project

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 8

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the funding and implementation of the Rs 44,605 crore Ken-Betwa interlinking of rivers project, which will address the problem of water scarcity in Bundelkhand region spanning across Madhya Pradesh and poll-bound UP.

The Cabinet approved central support of Rs 39,317 crore for the project, covering a grant of Rs 36,290 crore and a loan of Rs 3,027 crore.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said: “This will pave the way for more such projects for interlinking of rivers in India and showcase to the world our ingenuity and vision.”

The project involves the transfer of water from the Ken to the Betwa river through the construction of Daudhan dam (Lower Orr project, Kotha Barrage) and a canal linking the two rivers (Bina Complex multipurpose project).

It will ensure an annual irrigation of over 10.62 lakh hectares, drinking water supply to a population of about 62 lakh and also generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.

The project is proposed to be implemented in eight years. It will be of immense benefit to the water starved Bundelkhand region, spread across the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It will benefit the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen in MP and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur in UP.

Assisted Reproductive Tech Bill passed

The RS on Wednesday passed the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill

and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill with amendments.