Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav today said that the Ken-Betwa River link is a multi-purpose project of national importance.

 

He said under this project 10 lakh 62 thousand hectares of area will be irrigated. 

 

Replying to supplementries during the question hours in Lok Sabha, the Minister said 103 megawatt hydro power projects will be built under the project, including 27 MW Solar power generation that will benefit 10 districts in Madhya Pradesh and 4 districts in Uttar Pradesh. 

 

Mr Yadav informed the house that 194 MCM drinking water supply will be provided to a population of 62 Lakh people. 

 

He added that the Ministry has given all the environmental clearance to all the projects. He said all the necessary steps are being taken to protect the biodiversity and flora and fauna around the project. 

 

On 22nd March 2021, a historic agreement was signed between the Union Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to implement the first major centrally driven river interlinking project in the country. 

 

This project involves the transfer of water from the Ken to the Betwa River through the construction of Daudhan Dam and a canal linking of the two rivers.

 

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