Interlinking of Rivers in India, Objectives, History, Challenges

India faces extreme water stress due to its large population, uneven rainfall distribution, and seasonal variation in river flows. The Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) is an ambitious initiative aimed at transferring water from water-surplus regions to water-deficient areas to solve problems like droughts, floods, irrigation shortage, and energy scarcity.

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the interlinking of Rivers, its objectives, historical background, major projects, challenges, and the future way forward.

Interlinking of Rivers in India

The Interlinking of Rivers in India is an ambitious project to transfer water from rivers with surplus flow to drought-prone and water-scarce regions. It aims to improve irrigation, provide drinking water, generate hydropower, and control floods. Projects like the Ken-Betwa link demonstrate the plan’s potential to boost agriculture, support livelihoods, and promote regional development.

Interlinking of Rivers in India Objectives

The main objectives of Interlinking of Rivers in Indiainclude:

• Equitable Water Distribution – Ensuring year-round availability of water in deficit regions.
• Flood Control – Minimizing flood damage in rivers prone to seasonal flooding.
• Drought Mitigation – Supplying water to drought-prone areas for irrigation and domestic use.
• Irrigation Expansion – Bringing millions of hectares of additional agricultural land under reliable irrigation; ILR could benefit up to 35 million hectares.
• Hydropower Generation – Creating up to 34,000 MW of renewable energy potential through reservoirs and canals.
• Inland Navigation – Developing canals for transportation to reduce dependency on road and rail transport.
• Socio-Economic Development – Reducing rural migration, improving livelihoods, and enhancing industrial development.

Read about: Indian River Systems

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Interlinking of Rivers in India Historical Background

The idea of interlinking rivers in India has evolved over more than a century, shaped by visionary engineers, planners, and policymakers. Key milestones are:

• The concept of river interlinking in India was first proposed by Sir Arthur Cotton around 130 years ago, who designed irrigation dams and canals in the Godavari and Krishna river valleys to improve water management and agricultural productivity in southern India.
• In 1972, Dr. K.L. Rao suggested the idea of a National Water Grid to connect major rivers, linking the Ganga in the north with the Cauvery in the south. The proposal aimed to transfer surplus water to drought-prone areas but was criticized for its high cost and technical complexity.
• Captain Dastur, in 1977, proposed the Garland Canal scheme, which sought to connect Himalayan rivers with Peninsular rivers to control floods, provide irrigation, and generate hydropower. However, it faced technical and logistical challenges that delayed its implementation.
• The National Perspective Plan (NPP) was launched in 1980, identifying 30 river links for inter-basin water transfer, including 14 Himalayan links and 16 Peninsular links. The plan aimed at irrigation expansion, drought mitigation, flood control, and hydropower generation.
• In 1982, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was established to conduct detailed feasibility studies, surveys, and technical evaluations for river linking projects, while also assessing environmental impacts and coordinating with states.
• In 2002, the Supreme Court of India, through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), directed the government to expedite river interlinking projects to address recurring floods and droughts, giving legal and administrative momentum to initiatives like the Ken-Betwa Project.

Ken-Betwa River Linking Project

The Ken-Betwa River Linking Project (KBLP) is the first national river interlinking initiative under India’s National Perspective Plan (NPP). It aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken River, a tributary of the Yamuna in Madhya Pradesh, to the Betwa River, which flows through both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, addressing water scarcity in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.

• The Union Cabinet approved Rs 44,605 crore for the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) in December 2021, making it the first major national river linking project to receive full government sanction.
• A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), the Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA), has been established to oversee the planning, implementation, and management of the project.
• The link canal of the project is 221 km long, which includes a 2-km tunnel, connecting the Ken and Betwa rivers for effective water transfer.
• The project is divided into two phases.
  • Phase I includes the construction of the Daudhan Dam complex and its subsidiary units, such as the Low-Level Tunnel, High-Level Tunnel, the Ken-Betwa Link Canal, and associated powerhouses.
  • Phase II involves the development of Lower Orr Dam, Bina Complex Project, and the Kotha Barrage, completing the full river linking infrastructure.
• In terms of irrigation benefits, the project is expected to provide annual irrigation to 10.62 lakh hectares of land, with 8.11 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 2.51 lakh hectares in Uttar Pradesh.
• The project will also provide drinking water to approximately 62 lakh people, ensuring better water security for urban and rural communities across the region.
• For power generation, the Ken-Betwa Project is designed to produce over 103 MW of hydropower along with 27 MW of solar energy, integrating renewable energy generation with water management.

About National Perspective Plan (NPP)

• The National Perspective Plan (NPP) was formulated in 1980 by the Ministry of Irrigation (now Ministry of Jal Shakti) to provide a comprehensive roadmap for interlinking rivers across India and addressing regional water imbalances.
• The plan identified 30 potential river links for inter-basin water transfer, including 14 Himalayan links (such as rivers from the Ganga and Brahmaputra basins) and 16 Peninsular links (including Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, and their tributaries).
• The NPP aimed to maximise the use of India’s freshwater resources by transferring surplus water from water-rich basins to water-deficient areas, mitigating floods and droughts simultaneously.
• One of the primary objectives of the NPP was to expand irrigation, targeting an additional 35 million hectares of farmland, particularly in drought-prone regions of western and southern India.
• The plan also emphasised hydropower generation, with an estimated potential of 34,000 MW, along with improvements in drinking water supply, inland navigation, and industrial water availability.
• To implement and study the NPP, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was established in 1982 to conduct feasibility studies, technical surveys, and environmental assessments for proposed river links.

Challenges Associated with Interlinking of Rivers in India

• Large dams and canals can submerge forests and wildlife areas, including the Panna Tiger Reserve, affecting biodiversity.
• Thousands of people may lose homes, farmland, and livelihoods, especially in rural and tribal areas.
• The cost of national river linking projects can exceed ₹5 lakh crore, with long construction and maintenance periods.
• Water sharing disputes can occur between states like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
• Difficult terrains require tunnels, long canals, and complex engineering, making construction challenging.
• Transferring water can disturb ecosystems, sediment flow, and introduce invasive species.
• Unpredictable rainfall, droughts, and glacier melt due to climate change may reduce water availability.
• Legal and environmental approvals under forest, wildlife, and water laws can delay projects.

Way Forward

• Pilot Projects First – Begin with smaller and manageable projects like the Ken-Betwa link, which covers 221 km of canals and tunnels and provides irrigation to 10.62 lakh hectares, to test technical, social, and environmental feasibility before scaling up nationally.
• Use Advanced Technology – Employ hydrological modelling, GIS mapping, and satellite data to plan water transfers, monitor river flows, predict floods and droughts, and reduce project risks caused by climate variability.
• Environmental Protection – Implement strict safeguards to protect forests, wildlife, and river ecosystems, such as compensatory afforestation, measures to safeguard the Panna Tiger Reserve, and monitoring of aquatic biodiversity during and after project construction.
• Community Involvement – Include local communities, farmers, and tribal populations in project planning, rehabilitation, and monitoring to reduce displacement impacts and improve social acceptance.
• Inter-State Coordination – Strengthen governance mechanisms to resolve water-sharing disputes between states like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, ensuring fair allocation and timely decision-making.
• Cost and Resource Management – Optimise project costs through phased implementation, public-private partnerships, and efficient engineering, as national interlinking projects may cost over ₹5 lakh crore, making cost management essential for long-term sustainability.