In News:

Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments signed an agreement for the implementation of the Rs 72,000 crore Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal river linking project.

Modified PKC-ERCP Project Overview

• Signatories: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti signed a MoU for implementation.
• Project Type: Inter-state river linking initiative.
• Integration: Combines the long-standing Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) project with the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) under India's National Perspective Plan for interlinking rivers.

Objectives and Benefits

• Water Supply: Aims to provide drinking and industrial water to 13 districts in eastern Rajasthan and the Malwa and Chambal regions of Madhya Pradesh.
• Irrigation: Expected to irrigate approximately 5.6 lakh hectares across both states.
• Groundwater Management: Focus on improving groundwater levels and enhancing socio-economic conditions in rural Rajasthan.

Project Components

• Detailed Project Report (DPR): Currently under preparation, will outline water sharing, cost distribution, and implementation strategies.
• Historical Context:
  • PKC Project: Proposed in 1980 as part of a national plan, initially focused on diverting water from Kalisindh and Newaj rivers to Chambal.
  • ERCP: Proposed by Rajasthan in 2019 to optimize water resources by redistributing surplus monsoon water from various sub-basins to deficit areas.

Geographic Focus

• Beneficiary Districts in Rajasthan: Includes Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, and others.
• River Systems Involved:
  • Chambal River: Originates in Madhya Pradesh, flows through Rajasthan, and joins the Yamuna.
  • Kalisindh and Parbati Rivers: Serve as sources for water diversion.

Implementation Challenges

• Dependable Yield Issues: The original project proposal was based on a 50% dependable yield, contrary to the 75% norm, which was unacceptable to Madhya Pradesh. This led to discussions and revisions.
• Task Force Recommendations: Integrated discussions led to the proposal of the Modified PKC-ERCP, addressing both states' concerns.

Significance of the Project

• National Perspective Plan (NPP): Part of a larger initiative to manage water resources effectively across India, aiming to address water scarcity and improve irrigation.
• Support for Industrial Development: Enhances water availability for the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, fostering economic growth.

Why in the News?

A controversy over alleged engineering lapses in the ?1 lakh crore Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project on the Godavari river triggered an electoral slugfest in poll-bound Telangana.

About Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP):

• Location: The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is situated at Kaleshwaram village in Telangana, along the Godavari River.
• Confluence Point: It is located at the confluence of the Pranhita and Godavari Rivers.
• At this confluence, the Wardha, Painganga, and Wainganga rivers also meet, forming the seventh-largest drainage basin in the subcontinent.
• Originally called Pranahita-Chevella project in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, it was redesigned, extended and renamed as Kaleshwaram project in Telangana in 2014.
• KLIP is known as the world's largest multi-stage and multi-purpose lift irrigation project.
• A significant feature of KLIP includes a series of underground and surface water pumping stations, claimed to be the world's largest of their kind.
• This lift irrigation system stretches over 300 kilometers and moves large volumes of water from rivers or reservoirs to be distributed through channels and additional reservoirs before reaching the next stations.
• Objective: The project's goal is to provide water to 45 lakh acres of land in Telangana for irrigation and drinking water.
• KLIP started in 2016 and will utilise approximately 283 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water from the Godavari River to serve 13 districts in Telangana.