This report of the Standing Committee on Water Resources deals with the action taken by the Government on the recommendations and observations contained in their Eleventh Report on “Inter Linking of Rivers” which was presented to Lok Sabha in October 2008.
Some of the recommendations of the Committee include -
- The Committee suggested a time-bound programme for completion of DPRs of identified links.
- The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has completed Pre-feasibility Report (PFR) of 32 links. Out of these, 30 links have been identified for taking up further studies at the level of Feasibility Report (FR) and Detailed Project Report under National Perspective Plan (NPP).
- The Ministry has assessed the availability of water in various links for 2025 and 2050 at PFR/FR level. However, the water availability assessment will be further firmed up at the time of preparing the Detailed Project Reports of various links under NPP.
- In this connection, the Committee is perturbed to note that out of 30 identified links in NPP, the DPR for only one link namely Ken-Betwa link has been completed so far. The DPRs for two other links, namely, Par-Tapi-Narmada link and Damanganga-Pinjal link have been taken up only in January 2009.
- The preparation of DPRs for remaining 27 identified links has not been taken up.
- The Committee desires the Ministry to draw up a time bound programme for completion of the DPRs of the remaining identified links so that a realistic and firm assessment of water availability as indicated in the NPP could be made. They would like to be apprised of the time frame of completion of the DPRs within three months of presentation of this report.
- The Committee also desires that the work of preparation of DPRs of Par-Tapi-Narmada Link and Damanganga-Pinjal link which was initiated in January 2009 may be completed expeditiously.
- The matter regarding the other two links viz. Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link and Godavari (Polavaram)– Krishna (Vijayawada) link should be pursued at the highest level with the concerned State Governments with a view to bring about consensus among the concerned States for finalizing the DPRs.
- The Committee is happy to note that the Ministry has received 20 proposals of Intra-State links from the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Orissa and Jharkhand and that NWDA has planned to complete Feasibility Reports of 18 Intra-State links during the XI Five Year Plan.
- As the cost of preparation of these pre-feasibility and feasibility reports would be borne by the Central Government, the Committee would like the Government to highlight this fact among other States to encourage them to come forward with proposals for preparation of FRs for Intra-State links to boost the ILR programme in the country. The Committee would like to be apprised of further progress made in this regard.
- The Committee notes that the Ken-Betwa link project has been included in the list of ‘National Projects’ and the Government has decided to take some more projects as ‘National Projects’ based on certain criteria.
- The Committee would, like to be informed of the status of proposed establishment of the Irrigation and Water Resources Finance Corporation (IWRFC) and its role in funding the projects under ILR.
- The Committee also reiterates its earlier recommendation that the Government should ask the IWRFC to raise funds through issue of bonds or other suitable instruments for the projects under ILR so that the benefits expected from the ILR programme accrue at the earliest.
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