Tue Dec 24 18:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Modi to Lay Foundation Stone for Ken-Betwa River Linking Project
**Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, December 24, 2024** – Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Ken-Betwa River Interlinking Project on December 25th, 2024, in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. This marks the first project under the national river interlinking policy.
The ₹44,605 crore project is expected to provide drinking water to nearly 65 lakh people across 10 districts in Madhya Pradesh and 4 districts in Uttar Pradesh. It will also benefit approximately 7.18 lakh farmer families in 2,000 villages by providing irrigation facilities. Additionally, the project will generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav hailed the project as a landmark achievement, stating it will transform the Bundelkhand region, improving water security, boosting the economy, and creating new employment opportunities. The project will also restore historical ponds and improve the ecosystem of the Panna Tiger Reserve. He highlighted the project’s use of an underground pressurized pipe irrigation system and the construction of a large dam and tunnels.
The Ken-Betwa Link Project, a collaborative effort between the central government and the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, is touted as the largest irrigation project in India. It aims to address the chronic water scarcity in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region and curb migration caused by lack of employment. A tripartite MoU was signed in March 2021 to facilitate the project’s implementation.
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