Cabinet Approves Rs 44,605 Crore Ken-Betwa River Link Project

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the funding and implementation of the Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project.

The total cost of the Ken-Betwa link project has been assessed at Rs 44,605 crore. The project will be completed in eight years and it will generate 103 MW hydropower and 27 MW solar power.

An official release said the union cabinet has approved central support of Rs 39,317 crore for the project, covering a grant of Rs 36,290 crore and a loan of Rs 3,027 crore.

This project involves the transfer of water from Ken to the Betwa river through the construction of Daudhan Dam and a canal linking the two rivers, the Lower Orr Project, Kotha Barrage and Bina Complex Multipurpose Project.

"The project will provide annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh hectares, drinking water supply to a population of about 62 lakh and also generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW solar power. The project is proposed to be implemented in eight years with state of the art technology," the release said.

It said the project will be of "immense benefit" to the water-starved Bundelkhand region, spread across the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The project will provide enormous benefits to the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen of Madhya Pradesh and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh.

The project is expected to boost socio-economic prosperity in the backward Bundelkhand region on account of increased agricultural activities and employment generation.