This document discusses India's proposed National River Linking Project (NRLP) to address issues of flooding, water scarcity, and irrigation across India. The key components of the NRLP include interlinking rivers in the Himalayan region to transfer surplus water, and interlinking rivers in peninsular India like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, and Cauvery through dams and canals. The project aims to provide irrigation to 35 million hectares of land, generate 34,000 MW of hydropower, and mitigate floods and droughts. However, the project faces concerns around large costs, displacement of people, ecological impacts, and technical feasibility challenges. Alternatives proposed include

2. Narendra M S
PGS15AGR6908
Dept. of Agronomy
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, DHARWAD
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, VIJAYAPUR

3.  Annual rainfall- 400 m.ha.m.
 Total utilizable surface and ground water after full
development of water resources-114m.ha.m.
UTILIZATION:
1991- 58m.ha.m.
2001- 79m.ha.m
2025- 114m.ha.m
Thus the entire quantum of utilization water will be
exhausted by the year 2025.

4. Proposed solution
INTERLINKING
OF RIVERS

5. River linking
River Linking is a project linking two or
more rivers by creating a network of manually
created canals, and providing land areas that
otherwise does not have river water access and
reducing the flow of water to sea using this means.
It is based on the assumptions that surplus water
in some rivers can be diverted to deficit rivers by
creating a network of canals to interconnect the
rivers.

6. The Indian Rivers Inter-link is a proposed large-scale
civil engineering project that aims to link Indian
Rivers by a network of reservoirs and canals and so
reduce persistent floods in some parts and water
shortages in other parts of India.

7. HISTORY OF INTERLINKING
1972- Ganga Cauvery link proposed by Dr. K.L.Rao .
1974-“Garland canal” proposal by captain Dastur .
1980- Ministry of water resources frames the National perspective
plan(NPP) .
1982- The National water development agency (NWDA) set up to carry
out pre feasibility studies .
1999-A National commission (NCIWRDP) set up to review NWDA reports .
Aug 15, 2002- President Abdul Kalam mentions the need for river linking
in his independence day speech .
Oct 2002- Supreme court recommends that the government formulate a
plan to link the major Indian rivers by the year 2012.
Dec 2002- Govt. appointed a task force on interlinking of 37 rivers led by
Mr. Suresh Prabhu. The deadline was revised to 2016.

8. The Inter-link project has been split into three parts
A.Northern Himalayan rivers inter-link
component
B.Southern Peninsular component and
C.Intrastate rivers linking component.

9. The project is being managed by India's National Water
Development Agency (NWDA), under its Ministry of
Water Resources. NWDA has studied and prepared
reports on 14 inter-link projects for Himalayan
component, 16 inter-link projects for Peninsular
component and 37 intrastate river linking projects.

10. Main features of Inter linking of Rivers
linking the river basins in 2 components
1) Himalyan component
>linking ganga-brahmaputra-mahanadi-godavri-krishna-pennar and
cavery.
>linking eastern ganga tributaries to western ganga tributaries and
sabarmati basin
2) peninsular component
>linking-mahanadi-godavri-krishna-cavery and ken-betwa

11. I. Himalayan component
Himalayan Rivers Development envisages construction of
storage reservoirs on the main Ganga and the
Brahmaputra and their principal tributaries in India and
Nepal along with inter-linking canal system to transfer
surplus flows of the eastern tributaries of the Ganga to
the West apart from linking of the main Brahmaputra with
the Ganga.
part from providing irrigation to an additional area of
about 22 million hectares the generation of about 30
million kilowatt of hydro-power, it will provide substantial
flood control in the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin. The
Scheme will benefit not only the States in the Ganga-
Brahmaputra Basin, but also Nepal and Bangladesh,
assuming river flow management treaties are successfully
negotiated.

12. The Himalayan component would consist of a
series of dams built along
the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers in India,
Nepal and Bhutan for the purposes of storage.
Canals would be built to transfer surplus water
from the eastern tributaries of the Ganga to the
west. This is expected to contribute to flood
control measures in the Ganga and Brahmaputra
river basins. It could also provide excess water for
the Farakka Barrage to flush out the silt at the
port of Kolkatta.

13. Map of the Ganges (orange), Brahmaputra (violet), and Meghna (green) drainage basins.

14. Himalayan Component
Kosi – Mechi
Kosi – Ghagra
Gandak – Ganga
Ghagra – Yamuna
Sarda – Yamuna
Yamuna – Rajasthan
Rajasthan – Sabarmati
Chunar – Sone Barrage
Sone Dam – Southern Tributaries of Ganga
Brahmputra – Ganga
Brahmputra – Ganga
Farakka – Sunderbans
Ganga – Damodar – Subernrekha
Subernrekha – Mahanadi
List of proposed Links

15. II. Peninsular Component
This Scheme is divided in four major parts.
1. Interlinking of Mahanadi-Godavari-
Krishna-Pennar-Cauvery,
2. Interlinking of West Flowing Rivers, North
of Bombay and South of Tapi,
3. Inter-linking of Ken with Chambal and
4. Diversion of some water from West
Flowing Rivers

16. This component will irrigate an additional 25 million
hectares by surface waters, 10 million hectares by
increased use of ground waters and generate hydro
power, apart from benefits of improved flood control and
regional navigation.
The main part of the project would send water from the
eastern part of India to the south and west. he southern
development project (Phase I) would consist of four main
parts. First, the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery
rivers would all be inter-linked by canals. Reservoirs and
dams would be built along the course of these
rivers. These would be used to transfer surplus water
from the Mahanadi and Godavari rivers to the south of
India.

17. Under Phase II, some rivers that flow west to the
north of Mumbai and the south of Tapi would be
inter-linked. The water would supply additional
drinking water needs of Mumbai and provide
irrigation in the coastal areas of Maharashtra.
In Phase 3, the Ken and Chambal rivers would be
inter-linked to serve regional water needs
of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Over Phase
4, a number of west-flowing rivers in the Western
Ghats, would be inter-linked for irrigation purposes
to east flowing rivers such as Cauvery and Krishna.

18. Rivers Inter-Link, Himalayan and Peninsular Components

19. Peninsular Component
 Mahanadi (Manibhadra)– Godavari (d/s)
 Godavari (Inchampalli) – Krishna (Nagarjunsagar)
 Godavari (Inchampalli Low Dam) – Krishna
(Nagarjunsagar Tail Pond)
 Godavari (Polavaram) – Krishna (Vijaywada)
 Krishna (Almatti) – Pennar
 Krishna (Srisilam) – Pennar
 Krishna (Nagarjunsagar) – Pennar (Somasila)
 Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut)
 Cauvery (Kattalai) – Vaigai – Gundar
 Ken – Betwa
 Parbati – Kalisindh – Chambal
 Par – Tapi – Narmada
 Damanganga – Pinjal
 Bedti – Varda
 Netravati – Hemavati
 Pamba – Achankovil – Vaippar
List of proposed Links

20. Intra-stateinter-linkingof rivers
India approved and commissioned NDWA in June 2005 to
identify and complete feasibility studies of intra-State projects
that would inter-link rivers within that state. ect). The States
Government of Bihar proposed 6 inter-linking projects,
Maharashtra 20 projects, Gujarat 1 project, Orissa 3 projects,
Rajasthan 2 projects, Jharkhand 3 projects and Tamil Nadu
proposed 1 inter-linking proposal between rivers inside their
respective territories.[19] Since 2005, NDWA completed feasibility
studies on the projects, found 1 project infeasible, 20 projects as
feasible, 1 project was withdrawn by Government of
Maharashtra, and others are still under study.

21. National River Linking Project in India
The National River Linking Project (NRLP)
is designed to ease water shortages in
western and southern India while
mitigating the impacts of recurrent floods
in the eastern parts of the Ganga basin.
The NRLP, if and when implemented, will
be one of the biggest interbasin water
transfer projects in the world

22. 1. diminish water scarcity in western and peninsular India
2. help in irrigation and storage as a large part of Indian
agriculture is rainfall dependent
3. mitigate droughts and floods
4. reduce diversity between the water surplus and water
scarce parts of India
5. will create employment
6. will help in socio - economic development of people
Inter linking River project is supposed to

23. 1. Huge capital requirement.
2. project may take 50 years to complete
3. can cause seismic hazards in Himalaya
4. execution is difficult as 21/30 links are
dependent on other links.
5. displacement of tribal and poor.
6. Inter state water disputes (political)
7. loss of forest and biodiversity
why is it being opposed ?

24. The need of River linking
Drought, floods and shortage of drinking water
Population and food security
Navigation
Current reserves and loss in groundwater level

25. Benefits of River linking
Flood Control (40 million ha area and 260 million people
saved from floods that leads to damages of Rs 2400
crore/year)
Drought proofing (86 million people in 14 states, 116
districts saved)
Relief of 1200 crore per year from floods/ drought damages
Irrigation: 35 m ha & availability of drinking water.
Hydropower generation 34 000 MW installed capacity
Food grains production: 450 million tonnes by 2050
Navigation
Generation of employment

26. ISSUES CAUSED BY INTERLINKING AND IT’S CONCERNS
1. Ecological issues – Major concern being the argument that rivers change their course in
70–100 years and once they are linked, future change of course can create huge practical
problems for the project.
2. Aqua life – A number of leading environmentalists are of the opinion that the project
could be an ecological disaster. There would be a decrease in downstream flows resulting
in reduction of fresh water inflows into the seas seriously jeopardizing aquatic life.
3. Deforestation –Creation of canals would need large areas of land resulting large scale
deforestation in certain area.
4. Areas getting submerged - Possibility of new dams comes with the threat that habitable
or reserved land getting submerged under water.
5. Displacement of people –As large strips of land might have to be converted to canals, a
considerable population living in this areas must need to be rehabilitated to new areas.
6. Technical feasibility- The slope, altitude and other topographical aspects have to be
considered. (e.g. for Ganga, Patna is diversible surplus but for raising water to Vindhya
chain i.e. 2860 ft. high enormous amount of power is required).

27. ALTERNATIVE TO INDIAN RIVER LINKING
1. Rainwater harvesting and conservation of water resources.
2. Recharging ground water reservoir.
3. Community participation: President of India visited Alwar to honour the
people of Bhavta Kolyali villages for their successful community work in
harvesting water and along with 72 other villages of Arvari river basin, make
the river perennial .
4. Maintaining existing irrigation Infrastructure: The irrigation efficiencies are
notoriously low at around 35% at best. As mid term of review of 9th Plan made
it clear, even 10% increase in irrigation efficiency could lead to additional
irrigation potential of 14 M Ha. That would still be far from the optimum
possible efficiency. Should we not be attempting this on priority basis?
5. Virtual Water Trade : The virtual water trade concept suggest that water-rich
countries should produce and export water-intensive commodities to water-
scarce countries, thereby enabling the latter to divert their precious water
resources to alternative, higher-productivity uses. Analysis by Verma et al.
(2008) shows that the amount of virtual water traded between states is more
or less equivalent to the water transfers of 178 Bm3 proposed in the NRLP. The

28. Main Features-I
Himalayan
Links
Peninsular
Links
Total
Links 14 16 30
Reservoirs 16 58 74
Power Installed Capacity,
MW
30 000 MW 4 000 34 000
Cost, crores 422 650 137 350 560 000
Water Transfer, BCM 141 33 174
Additional Irrigation M ha 22 13 35

29. 30 River Links
Involving 37 Rivers
How much additional water?
300 BCM (President of India speech on May
11, 2005)
174 BCM (NWDA)
Estimated cost: Rs 5 60 000 crores
Estimated submergence
1 675 000 ha (Rainer Horig: 625 000 ha for
canals and 1 050 000 ha for reservoirs)
Estimated displacement:
0.45 M (official document)
3.47 M (Rainer Horig)
Main Features-II

30. Current Status..
A Group on IntraState River links has been constituted by MoWR, RD & GR on 12.03.
2015.
The Group has reviewed all relevant issues on Intra – State River Links including the
definition of such link, consider and suggest about the funding of intrastate river link
projects. The Group has held various meetings and submitted its report on 28.05.2015
to the Ministry of Water Resource, RD & GR.
Ken – Betwa Link Project
The various clearances for Ken – Betwa link project are in the advance stages and the
Government will start implementing this National Project as model link project of ILR
programme.
Damanganga – Pinjal Link Project
The DPR of Damanganga – Pinjal link was completed in March, 2014 and submitted to
Governments of Maharasthra and Gujarat. Govt. of Maharasthra has submitted the
Detailed Project Report of Damanganga – Pinjal link project to Central Water
Commission during January, 2015 for appraisal.

31. Mahanadi – Godavari Link Project
Mahanadi Godavari link is the first and critical link of nine link system of Mahanadi-
Godavari - Krishna - Pennar - Cauvery - Vaigai - Gundar under Peninsular Component of
NPP.
The Government of Odisha was not agreeable for the Mahanadi (Manibhadra) Godavari
(Dowlaiswaram) link due to large submergence involved in Manibhadra dam proposed
under the link project.
Based on the suggestions of WRD, Govt. of Odisha, NWDA has proposed a revised
preliminary proposal of Mahanadi Godavari link project with reduced submergence. A
presentation on the revised proposal of MahanadiGodavari link project has been made to
the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Govt. of Odisha on 29.05.2015 by the senior officers of MoWR,
RD & GR.
Krishna – Godavari link project
The interlinking of the Godavari and the Krishna has been on the anvil for almost five
decades and with the commissioning of the Pattiseema scheme, four major rivers in
Andhra Pradesh are now connected to one another: Godavari-Krishna, Krishna-Pennar and
Pennar-Tungabhadra. Thousands of farmers in Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Kurnool,
Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittoor districts will benefit from the Godavari-Krishna linkage.
About 17 lakh acres including 13 lakhs in the Krishna delta will get assured irrigation water
for two agricultural crops round the year. Thousands of villages en route will get drinking
water supplies.