The Union Government has said that the river inter-linking programme was crucial for water and food security, and sought the cooperation of the States in implementing it. The Ken-Bewta link between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh will be the first project.

Chairing the fifth meeting of the Special Committee for Inter-linking of Rivers on Monday, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sanwar Lal Jat urged water-surplus States to appreciate the national need for interlinking rivers in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation.

“This government will be able to implement the Ken-Betwa link by the end of the year and it will be the model link,” he told the participating Water Resources and Irrigation Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The various clearances related to environment, forest and wildlife protection for the Ken-Betwa link were at an advance stage of processing.............Read more

Source web page: The Hindu