On December 25, in celebration of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. This initiative marks the first attempt under the National River Linking Policy. The project will offer potable water to around 4.4 million residents in 10 districts of Madhya Pradesh, and to 2.1 million in Uttar Pradesh, impacting a total of 6.5 million people across both states. The projected cost for this endeavor is ₹44,605 crore, as shared by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday.
Benefit to a Vast Number of Farmers
This project is set to benefit approximately 718,000 farming families across 2,000 villages. It will also generate 103 megawatts of electricity and 27 megawatts of solar power.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav explained that on December 25, Prime Minister Modi will be in Khajuraho of Chhatarpur district to initiate this project, which is poised to change the destiny and image of Bundelkhand in both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Yadav noted that the Ken-Betwa Link Project stands as a unique case of collaboration and coordination between the central government, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
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Irrigation Challenges Will Be Addressed
Mohan Yadav emphasized that Prime Minister Modi has initiated the fulfillment of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's dream of river linking. Through this project, farmers will receive ample water for irrigation, and sufficient water supply for drinking and industrial purposes.
Economic and social development, along with tourism, will be promoted through this project, generating new employment opportunities. The water levels in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region will also improve. Yadav stated that the Ken-Betwa Project is the country's largest irrigation venture utilizing an underground pressurized pipe irrigation system.
