Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil at his office in Delhi and discussed various issues. In the meeting, detailed discussions were held regarding river linking projects, especially Ken-Betwa Link Project. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav told Union Minister Patil that the state of Madhya Pradesh is playing a very important role in the River Linking Campaign. He informed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are jointly working on the ambitious Ken-Betwa Link Project, which is a unique project of its kind in the world.

 

This project in Madhya Pradesh will provide irrigation and drinking water supply to 10 districts of Bundelkhand region. Bundelkhand is a region which never surrendered its sovereignty to the Delhi Sultanate or Mughal rulers but unfortunately this region became resource-less due to lack of water. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, this region will develop in all aspects through the Ken-Betwa project. On the request of Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, the Union Water Power Minister assured the state to release the remaining amount of Rs 1150 crore to be received from the Centre for land acquisition and resettlement of Daudhan Dam and Link Canal soon. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav requested that under the approved Ken-Betwa Link Project, instead of 90,100 hectares of irrigation from the currently provisioned Damoh-Panna Lift Irrigation Scheme, it would be appropriate to include Madhya Pradesh’s Patne and Byarma irrigation project of about 2,50,000 hectares.

 

In this regard, the revised DPR is being sent by the state government, on which the Union Minister assured to consider positively. In the meeting, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also discussed in detail about the Rs 70,000 crore Parvati-Kalisindh Chambal project approved by the Government of India with Rajasthan. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that Madhya Pradesh is the first state which is considering linking inter-state rivers besides linking rivers with neighboring states. He informed the Union Minister that a preliminary proposal is being made to link Kanh and Gambhir rivers, which has been given in-principle approval by the Union Minister. In the meeting, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav informed that 17 out of 21 schemes under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana in the state have been completed first. For this, Union Minister Patil praised the state government. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also gave proposals related to ghat construction and river cleaning to Union Minister Patil in connection with the Simhastha festival to be held in Ujjain in the year 2028.