Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lay the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project on December 25, 2024, in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, marking the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This ambitious project is the first to be undertaken under India’s national river interlinking policy and is expected to address critical water scarcity issues in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region, while boosting irrigation and hydropower generation.
The Ken-Betwa River Linking Project is estimated to cost ₹44,605 crore. Key components of the project include the construction of a 77-meter high, 2.13-kilometer-long Daudhan Dam on the Ken River in the Panna Tiger Reserve, and a 221-kilometer canal designed to transfer water to the Betwa River. This initiative will provide irrigation facilities to 8.11 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 59,000 hectares in Uttar Pradesh, and supply drinking water to over 65 lakh people across both states.
The project is also expected to generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power, addressing energy needs alongside water concerns.
The Ken-Betwa Project will greatly improve water availability for irrigation, drinking, and industrial purposes, especially in Bundelkhand, which has long struggled with water shortages. It is also expected to stabilize groundwater levels, boost tourism, and create employment opportunities in the region.
This project reflects strong cooperation between the central government and the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on March 22, 2021, between the Chief Ministers of both states and the Union Jal Shakti Minister.
The Ken-Betwa River Linking Project is rooted in the river interlinking vision first proposed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The project will benefit several districts, including Panna, Tikamgarh, and Datia in Madhya Pradesh, and Mahoba and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. Efforts will also be made to restore historical Chandela-era water bodies in Madhya Pradesh, while the project aims to reduce flooding in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district.
With this landmark project, the vision of creating a connected and water-secure India continues to take shape, benefiting millions of lives across two states.
এনেধৰণৰ অন্যান্য বা-বাতৰিৰ বাবে লাইক কৰক অসম লাইভ ২৪ ৰ ফেচবুক পেজ
