Tue Dec 24 17:05:05 UTC 2024: ## Modi to Lay Foundation Stone for Ken-Betwa River Linking Project
**Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh:** Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the long-awaited Ken-Betwa river-linking project on Wednesday, coinciding with the birth centenary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the visionary behind the national river-linking initiative.
The Rs 49,000 crore project, the first under the national river interlinking policy, is a landmark undertaking aimed at alleviating drought and migration in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It promises irrigation benefits to over 8.6 lakh hectares of land, impacting approximately seven lakh farmers. The project will also provide drinking water to over 65 lakh people across both states and generate 130 MW of renewable energy (hydro and solar). Furthermore, the restoration of 42 historical ponds is included to enhance groundwater levels.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the Ken-Betwa project as the largest irrigation project in the country, highlighting its innovative use of an underground pressurised pipe irrigation system. The project includes the construction of a 77-meter-high dam on the Ken River and a 221-km canal to transfer water to the Betwa River. Environmental benefits are also anticipated, including improved forest ecosystems within the Panna Tiger Reserve and flood mitigation in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district. The dam’s reservoir will provide a year-round water source for wildlife within the reserve.
This initiative marks a significant step in fulfilling the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s vision for river linking. The recent signing of a tripartite agreement for the Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal river link project further underscores the government’s commitment to this national policy.
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