PM Modi to launch Ken-Betwa river linking project on Vajpayee's birth anniversary

The date marks the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, more than 23 years after the project was first conceptualised.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav highlighted the transformative potential of the project, stating it would benefit 4.4 million people across 10 districts in Madhya Pradesh and 2.1 million in 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh, reported Hindustan Times.

Together, these regions form the water-scarce Bundelkhand area.

The project will also irrigate nearly one million hectares of farmland and generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy once completed in an estimated five years.

“This project will change the image and destiny of Bundelkhand,” Yadav said.

Key Features of the Project

The Ken-Betwa river linking project is the largest irrigation initiative in India, employing an underground pressurised pipe irrigation system. Key components include:

Daudhan Dam: A 77-metre-high, 2.13-kilometre-long structure on the Ken river within the Panna Tiger Reserve.

Tunnels: Two tunnels, 1.9 km and 1.1 km long, to transfer water.

Link Canal: A 221-km-long canal to carry surplus Ken river water to the Betwa river, providing drinking and irrigation facilities.

While the project promises to address water scarcity, it will submerge approximately 40% of the Panna Tiger Reserve and adjoining forest areas.

However, Yadav noted that the Daudhan reservoir would provide year-round drinking water for wildlife in the reserve, enhancing the forest ecosystem.

The project gained momentum after PM Modi assumed office in 2014.

A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on March 22, 2021, between the chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and the Union Jal Shakti Minister in the presence of PM Modi to implement the project.

This monumental initiative is expected to redefine the Bundelkhand region's socio-economic and ecological landscape.