Prime Minister Shri Modi to Lay Foundation Stone of Ken-Betwa Link Project on December 25 in Khajuraho
Bundelkhand Region’s Image and Destiny to Change
Bhopal: Monday, December 23, 2024,
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav stated that the Ken-Betwa Link National Project is a unique example of cooperation and coordination between the Government of India, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. He further mentioned that the project is the realization of the River-Linking Campaign dream of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This ambitious and multi-purpose project will change the image and destiny of the entire Bundelkhand region in both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The project will provide ample water for irrigation, drinking water, and industries, ensuring the economic and social development of the region. Additionally, it will boost tourism and create new employment opportunities. The groundwater situation in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region will also improve. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa Link Project on December 25, 2024, in Khajuraho, Chhatarpur district.
Ken-Betwa Link Project Overview
The Ken-Betwa Link National Project is India’s largest irrigation project utilizing underground pressurized pipe irrigation systems. The project will be constructed on the Ken River in Chhatarpur and Panna districts of Madhya Pradesh. A 77-meter high and 2.13 km long Daudhan Dam and 2 tunnels (upper level 1.9 km, lower level 1.1 km) will be built across the Ken River in Panna Tiger Reserve, creating a storage capacity of 2,853 million cubic meters of water.
Through a 221 km long link canal, water from the surplus of the Ken River will be diverted to the Betwa River, providing irrigation and drinking water facilities to both states. This will benefit 10 districts in Madhya Pradesh—Panna, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Sagar, Raisen, Vidisha, Shivpuri, and Datia—covering 2,000 villages and facilitating 8.11 lakh hectares of land for irrigation. Nearly 7 lakh farmer families will benefit from this.
In Uttar Pradesh, the project will provide irrigation to 59,000 hectares annually and stabilize 1.92 lakh hectares of existing irrigated land in Mahoba, Jhansi, Lalitpur, and Banda districts. Moreover, the project will benefit 44 lakh people in Madhya Pradesh and 21 lakh people in Uttar Pradesh with access to drinking water. The project will also generate 103 MW of hydroelectric power and 27 MW of solar energy, with the full benefit of power generation going to Madhya Pradesh.
Heritage Conservation and Wildlife Protection
The project also includes the preservation of historical Chandel-era ponds in Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, and Niwari districts of Madhya Pradesh. 42 ponds will be repaired and restored to ensure water storage during the monsoon season, benefiting rural areas and enhancing the groundwater levels.
The Daudhan Dam will alleviate flood risks in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district. Additionally, the Ken River’s reservoir will ensure year-round water supply for wildlife in the Panna Tiger Reserve and significantly improve the forest ecosystem.
Farmer and Economic Benefits
The project will enhance farming productivity through advanced irrigation techniques, leading to better crop yields and prosperity for farmers. It will also address the water scarcity issues in Bundelkhand and help reduce migration in search of employment.
Unprecedented Growth in Irrigation Area
Dr. Yadav mentioned that the state’s two important national projects, Ken-Betwa and Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Projects, will lead to an unprecedented increase in the irrigation area in the state. From about 3 lakh hectares in 2003, the irrigation area has now expanded to approximately 50 lakh hectares. With the ongoing and upcoming irrigation projects, the state expects an irrigation area of around 65 lakh hectares by 2025-26. The target is to reach 1 crore hectares by 2028-29, with rapid progress in the works.
Budget and Funding for Irrigation Projects
Water Resources Minister Shri Tulsiram Silawat stated that the state government has allocated substantial funds for the Water Resources Department in the 2024-25 budget, with 13,596 crore rupees earmarked for the construction and maintenance of irrigation projects.
Ken-Betwa Link Project – Key Points
- The project was approved by a tripartite MoU signed between the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and the Union Minister of Jal Shakti on March 22, 2021.
- The total project cost is 44,605 crore rupees.
- The financial sharing is 90% by the central government and 10% by the state governments.
- The project will provide irrigation to 8.1 lakh hectares of land.
- Beneficiaries include 10 districts in Madhya Pradesh and several areas in Uttar Pradesh.
- 7.18 lakh farmer families from 2,000 villages will benefit.
- 44 lakh people in Madhya Pradesh and 21 lakh people in Uttar Pradesh will have access to drinking water.
- The project will produce 103 MW of hydroelectric power.
This project is expected to significantly reduce water scarcity, promote industrialization, tourism, and create more jobs, ensuring local self-reliance and curbing migration.
Author: This news is edited by: Abhishek Verma, (Editor, CANON TIMES)
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