Bhopal: Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has said that the country’s first Ken-Betwa Link National Project is a unique example of mutual cooperation and coordination between the Central Government, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Late. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the lead in realizing Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream of linking rivers campaign. The multipurpose and ambitious Ken-Betwa Link Project will change the face and destiny of the entire Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Through this project, farmers will get ample water for irrigation and will also get sufficient water for drinking water and industries. Along with the economic and social development of the area, tourism will also be promoted and new employment opportunities will be created. The situation of groundwater in the drought-hit Bundelkhand region will also improve. Prime Minister Modi is coming to Khajuraho in Chhatarpur district on 25th December to lay the foundation stone of this project which will change the image and destiny of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that Ken-Betwa Link National Project is the largest irrigation project in the country adopting underground pressurized pipe irrigation system. This project is being constructed on Ken River in Chhatarpur and Panna districts of Madhya Pradesh. Under the project, 77 meter height and 2.13 kilometer length Daudhan Dam and 2 tunnels (upper level 1.9 km and lower level 1.1 km) will be constructed on Ken River in Panna Tiger Reserve and 2,853 million cubic meters of water will be stored in the dam. Will be stored. 221 km from Daudhan Dam on Ken River. The surplus water of Ken River will be transferred to Betwa River through the long link canal, providing irrigation and drinking water facilities in both the states. Through the project, through pressurized micro irrigation system, 8.11 lakh hectare area can be irrigated in 2 thousand villages of 10 districts of Panna, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Sagar, Raisen, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Datia. About 7 lakh farmer families will benefit from this.
Ken-Betwa project will provide annual irrigation facility in 59 thousand hectare area in Uttar Pradesh and stabilization of existing irrigation in 1.92 lakh hectare area, which will provide irrigation facility in Mahoba, Jhansi, Lalitpur and Banda districts of Uttar Pradesh. Through the project, 44 lakh population of Madhya Pradesh and 21 lakh population of Uttar Pradesh will get the facility of drinking water. Besides, the project will generate 103 MW hydro power and 27 MW solar energy. Madhya Pradesh will get its full benefit.
The project also includes the work of saving the inherited historical Chandela era ponds. By repairing/renovating 42 ponds of the Chandel era in Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh and Niwari districts of Madhya Pradesh, there will be water filling during the rainy season, which will benefit the rural areas and increase the groundwater level.
With the construction of Daudhan Dam, Banda district of Uttar Pradesh will get relief from the menace of floods. Daudhan Reservoir will provide drinking water to the wild animals in Panna Tiger Reserve throughout the year and there will be unprecedented improvement in the ecosystem of the forest. As a result of the liberal policies of Madhya Pradesh, rehabilitation and resettlement package has been chosen by almost all the displaced people.
The construction of the project will bring prosperity and happiness in the lives of farmers along with increased crop production through advanced irrigation technology. Besides, the water crisis prevalent in Bundelkhand region will be relieved and migration for employment will also be stopped.
There will be unprecedented increase in the irrigation area of the state
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that two important national projects of the state, Ken-Betwa and Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Projects will lead to unprecedented increase in the irrigation area of the state. The area under irrigation is continuously increasing in the state. Where in the year 2003, the irrigation area of the state was about 3 lakh hectares, today it has increased to about 50 lakh hectares. From the constructed and under construction irrigation projects of the state, the area under irrigation in the state is likely to be around 65 lakh hectares by the year 2025-26. The government has set a target of increasing the irrigation capacity of the state to 1 crore hectares by the year 2028-29. For this, work is being done at a fast pace in the state.
Water Resources Minister Tulsiram Silavat said that the state government has made provision of adequate amount in the budget for the Water Resources Department. In the budget for the year 2024-25, a provision of Rs 13,596 crore has been made for the construction and maintenance of irrigation projects.
Ken-Betwa Link Project – Key Points
In the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOA) was signed on 22 March 2021 between the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and the Union Jal Shakti Minister for the implementation of the project.
The cost amount of the project is Rs 44 thousand 605 crore.
The expenditure of the project is determined in the ratio of 90 percent by the Central Government and 10 percent by the State Government.
The project will provide irrigation facility in 8.10 lakh hectare area.
10 districts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Damoh, Tikamgarh, Niwadi, Shivpuri, Datia, Raisen, Vidisha and Sagar will be benefited from the project.
About 7 lakh 18 thousand farmer families of 02 thousand villages will be benefited.
44 lakh population of 10 districts will get drinking water facility.
103 MW electricity will be produced.
In the drought-stricken Bundelkhand region, the situation of groundwater level will improve, industrialization, investment and tourism will be promoted and employment opportunities will be available. This will bring self-reliance among the people at the local level and migration of people will stop.