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PM Modi kicks off ambitious Ken-Betwa river linking project
The project was first envisaged following a feasibility study by the National Water Development Authority (NWDA) in 1995 at a cost of ₹1998.74 crore
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of the interstate Ken-Betwa river linking project to channel excess water from the Ken river in Madhya Pradesh into the Betwa, saying the long-awaited linkage will open new doors of prosperity in the Bundelkhand region.
Nearly 4.4 million people across 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh and 2.1 million in 10 districts areas of Uttar Pradesh will get drinking water under the project, which is estimated to cost ₹44,605 crore, and overall a million hectares of farmland covering 2,000 villages will benefit from the project that is also projected to generate 103MW of hydropower and 27MW of solar energy, officials aware of the plans said.
Also read | Sonia Gandhi writes to Prakash Javadekar, asks him not to implement Ken-Betwa project
The project was first envisaged following a feasibility study by the National Water Development Authority (NWDA) in 1995 at a cost of ₹1998.74 crore. Ten years later in 25 August, 2005, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and the Union Government for preparation of a detailed feasibility report, which was completed in 2014. In 2023, approval was received from the environment ministry, clearing all decks for the project.
Speaking at the inauguration, the PM launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of short-changing citizens by not building enough infrastructure and of ignoring Dr BR Ambedkar’s contribution to water resources development in the country. His comments came at a time when opposition parties including the Congress are accusing Union home minister Amit Shah of belittling Dr Ambedkar during a discussion in Parliament on 75 years of the Constitution. The Congress has been protesting across the country citing a clipped portion of Shah’s comments that was shared widely on social media. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Congress of deliberately taking the remarks out of context and of ignoring Ambedkar’s contribution in nation-building.
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“Ambedkar’s vision and farsightedness contributed significantly to the strengthening of the country’s water resources, their management and dam construction. Ambedkar played a crucial role in the development of major river valley projects and formation of the Central Water Commission,” Modi said at a rally after the foundation laying ceremony.
The Central Water Commission is the central body that regulates water flow through different states to minimise the impact of floods, monitors over 100 dams across India, ensures their safety, and advises the government on the construction of new dams and irrigation projects.
“The Congress party never paid heed to the country’s growing need of water conservation, and never recognised Ambedkar’s efforts as a water conservationist,” Modi said, alleging that the Congress ruled the country believing that governance was its birthright. “Where the Congress is, governance cannot happen,” Modi said.
“In the past, Congress governments were experts in making announcements, but people never benefited from them. Congress governments neither had the intentions nor the seriousness to implement plans. Today, we are witnessing the benefits of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. Farmers in MP are receiving ₹12,000 through this scheme. In MP, there is the Ladli Behna Yojana; if we hadn’t opened bank accounts for women, could this scheme have been successful?” the Prime Minister added.
Modi highlighted that the great challenge of the 21st century was water security and said countries with adequate water resources with proper management will move forward.
Also Read | Bundelkhand Development Board wants local representation in Ken Betwa Link Project Authority
During an event organised on the 100th birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, celebrated as Good Governance Day, Modi also inaugurated the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh virtually, and laid the foundation stone of the Daudhan Irrigation Project, part of the river linking project.
Union water resources minister CR Patil and Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav handed over two urns containing water from the Betwa and Ken rivers to Modi, who poured it over a model of the project to launch the river linking work.
The PM said the previous Congress governments delayed projects for 35-40 years after laying their foundation stones, stressing that the party did not work on the Ken-Betwa river project after coming to power in 2004 and delayed it for over a decade. “When Atal ji’s government came to power, they worked seriously to solve water-related challenges, but after 2004, the Congress dismantled those efforts. Today, our government is focusing on river-linking projects,” he said.
Modi blamed the Congress for farmers in Bundelkhand struggling for lack of irrigation facilities. “Such a situation arose because the Congress never thought about permanent solutions to the water crisis,” he said.
Speaking about the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of Vajpayee, Modi said it was an inspirational day.
“Atal ji’s contribution to the country’s development will always remain etched in our memories. In Madhya Pradesh, the construction of over 1,100 Atal Gram Seva Sadans is starting today, and the first instalment for this has already been released. These will give a new momentum to rural development,” he said.
Modi performed the “bhumi pujan” (groundbreaking ceremony) for the construction of 1,153 Atal Gram Sewa Sadans costing ₹437 crore at the Khajuraho event. He released a commemorative stamp and a coin in Vajpayee's memory.
Reacting to the Ken-Betwa project launch event, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said the PM must factor in the environmental impact of his actions as the project poses a serious threat to the Panna tiger reserve, 40% of which would get submerged because of the construction of Daudhan Dam.
“Today the PM is giving one more evidence of the difference between his ‘talk’ and ‘walk’ on environment and forest matters. The Ken-Betwa river linking project for which he is laying the foundation stone today poses a serious threat to the biodiversity-rich Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh,” Ramesh posted on X.
Panna has seen a remarkable revival in the tiger population. By early 2009, its tiger population had been completely wiped out. After the tiger reintroduction programme launched 15 years ago, the country’s first such, the reserve now has 90-plus tigers, including cubs and sub-adults, and is thriving with sustainable tourism-based livelihoods, the former environment minister said in his post.
The project will submerge over 10% of the core area of the tiger reserve, he said.
Responding to Ramesh’s remarks, Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai said MP is the only state where forest cover has increased by 2%.
“The government has also been increasing the tiger reserve area gradually and we are also taking care of our tigers and their population has been increasing. The Ken-Betwa project will give water to drought affected Bundelkhand region. Should we just leave them waterless? The BJP talks of Vikas and Virasat (development and heritage) and we always seek to strike a balance. However, the Congress only knows Siyasat (politics),” said Bajpai.
