Interlinking of rivers: Govt forms Task Force to bring states on board

Seeking to overcome the hurdles in interlinking of rivers, the Centre on Tuesday constituted a ‘Task Force’ to work on forging consensus among different states for speedy implementation of the NDA government’s ambitious project.

The Union Water Resources Ministry’s decision came in the backdrop of opposition from a couple of states over interlinking of rivers. A statement here said that the Task Force would be chaired by B N Navalawala and take up all issues for expediting the work on interlinking of rivers in the country.

Apart from examining the existing links that are laid out as per the National Perspective Plan under both Himalayan and Peninsular components, the Task Force would also consider alternative plans in place of infeasible links in the present plan, the release added. The panel would facilitate interlinking of intra-state and intra-basin rivers also along with that of inter-state and inter-basin links. It would recommend time schedules for completion of feasibility studies and DPRs of all the links, implementation schedule of all the links, the statement added.