National Rivers Interlinking Programme (ILR) (Geography)
National Rivers Interlinking Programme (ILR) (Geography)
Why In News:
India's National Rivers Interlinking Programme (ILR) was recently in news which aims to transfer water from surplus river basins to deficit ones through a network of link canals.
Source: PIB Release, 'National Rivers Interlinking Programme'
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2297168®=48&lang=1
About the Programme
Historical Background: The idea of interlinking rivers was first proposed by Sir Arthur Cotton in the 1850s and was later revived in 1972 by K. L. Rao, then Union Minister for Power and Irrigation.
The ILR, based on the National Perspective Plan (NPP), was then formulated in 1980 by the Ministry of Water Resources (now Ministry of Jal Shakti).
The National Perspective Plan (NPP) aims to transfer surplus monsoon water from water-rich river basins to water-deficit and drought-prone regions through a massive network of storage reservoirs and interconnecting canals.
30 interlinking projects have been identified under the NPP.
These are grouped into a Peninsular Component (16 projects) and a Himalayan Component (14 projects).
Objectives include irrigation, drinking water supply, hydropower generation, and flood moderation.
The National Water Development Agency (NWDA), set up in 1982, is the implementing agency.
Key Ongoing Links
The Ken-Betwa Link Project, connecting Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, is the first ILR project taken up for implementation.
Par-Tapi-Narmada and Damanganga-Pinjal links fall under the Peninsular Component, involving Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Constitutional and Legal Angle
Water is a State subject under Entry 17 of the State List, while regulation of inter-state rivers falls under Entry 56 of the Union List.
Article 262 empowers Parliament to provide for adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers.
The River Boards Act, 1956: This empowered the GoI to establish Boards for Interstate Rivers and river valleys in consultation with State Governments.