India Advances Efforts to Connect Rivers Across the Country
By CCN News | Published: Dec 24, 2024
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The 38th Annual General Meeting of the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) Society and the 22nd Meeting of the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers (SCILR) were held in New Delhi. Chaired by C.R. Patil, the Minister for Jal Shakti, the meeting brought together representatives from several riparian state governments, who participated both in person and virtually. The focus was on advancing India's ambitious Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) program, which aims to address water scarcity issues across the country by connecting rivers.
Ken-Betwa and MPKC Projects Take Center Stage
C.R. Patil began the meeting by highlighting the significant progress on the Modified Parbati Kalisindh Chambal (MPKC) and Ken-Betwa Link projects. He emphasized the recent developments in Rajasthan, where various water projects were inaugurated, and the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the MPKC project. Patil urged other states to build consensus on their respective river link projects to accelerate the country’s water resource management efforts. "Collaborative action from all states is crucial for the success of this nationwide initiative," he said.
Government’s Continued Commitment to River Interlinking
During the meeting, the Secretary of the Department of Water Resources (DoWR), RD & GR, underscored the significant progress made in the ILR program, with the Ken-Betwa Link project now being the first to move into implementation under the National Perspective Plan. The Secretary reiterated the Indian government’s commitment to water resource management, emphasizing that the ILR initiative is a key priority for the country’s sustainable development.
The meeting also saw a detailed presentation by the Director General of NWDA, who outlined the status of various projects, including challenges and ongoing works. Discussions included the pending issues surrounding ILR projects and Intra-State linkages, with state representatives offering their feedback and suggestions for moving forward.
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State Leaders Join Discussion on Water Resources
Several prominent leaders attended the meeting, including Rajbhushan Choudhary, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Minister of Water Resources, Bihar, Swatantra Dev Singh, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Uttar Pradesh, and K. Lakshminarayanan, Minister for Public Works, Puducherry. Other ministers from Kerala, Haryana, and Gujarat attended virtually, reflecting broad participation across India’s diverse regions. Senior officials from various central and state departments were also present, ensuring a comprehensive discussion on the future of India’s river interlinking projects.
As India moves forward with its interlinking projects, the collaboration between states and the central government is seen as key to overcoming challenges and ensuring the success of this transformative initiative.
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