Uma Bharati to chair meeting to review interlinking of rivers

Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti will chair the eighth meeting of Centre's special committee on interlinking of rivers to review progress of various projects here on Monday.

During the day-long meeting, to be attended by Water Resources Ministers and senior officials from various states, issues such as status of Ken-Betwa (Phase-I and II), Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada link projects; intra-state link proposals and restructuring of National Water Development Agency are expected to be discussed.

"Interlinking of River (ILR) programme is of national importance and has been taken up by Government on high priority. The mission of this programme is to ensure greater equity in the distribution of water by enhancing availability of water in drought-prone and rainfed areas through interlinking of rivers," the Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry has already identified 14 links under Himalayan Rivers component and 16 links under Peninsular Rivers component for inter-basin transfer of water-based on field surveys and investigation and detailed studies.

Union Cabinet had in its meeting held on July 24, 2014 approved the constitution of special committee on ILR and the panel was floated formally on September 23, 2014.

The committee met first on October 17, 2014, while the last meeting was held on November 18 last year.