Ken-Betwa Link Project

In News

• The Third Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Ken-Betwa Link Project (SC-KBLP) was held.

Image Courtesy:IE

About Ken-Betwa Link Project 

• Background: On 22nd March 2021, a historic agreement was signed between the Union Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to implement the first major centrally driven river interlinking project in the country.
• Overview: Ken-Betwa Link Project is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers
  • It aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river in Madhya Pradesh to Betwa in Uttar Pradesh to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region. 
    • Both Ken and Betwa are the tributaries of the Yamuna.
• The project will provide annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh ha, drinking water supply to a population of about 62 lakhs, and also generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power. 
• Benefits: The Project will be of immense benefit to the water-starved Bundelkhand region, spread across the states of MP and UP. 
  • It is expected to boost socio-economic prosperity in the backward Bundelkhand region on account of increased agricultural activities and employment generation. 
  • It would also help in arresting distress migration from this region. 
• Concerns: The construction of large dams for the interlinking of rivers to solve the irrigation and drinking water problems has created potential threats to faunal as well as floral diversity.

Source: PIB