Resistance from states over water-sharing concerns has emerged as the biggest hurdle in implementing India's ambitious river interlinking programme, the Centre told the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary, in a written response, noted that building consensus among participating states remains the “most challenging task” under the interlinking of rivers (ILR) scheme. “The consensus building amongst states is the most challenging task due to apprehensions of states related to water sharing,” the minister stated.
Of the 30 river link proposals outlined under the National Perspective Plan, five have been accorded priority status for implementation. The most advanced among them, the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP), is already under execution.
Designed to address water scarcity in drought-prone Bundelkhand, the KBLP comes at an estimated cost of ₹44,605 crore. Once completed, it is expected to irrigate over 10.6 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and provide drinking water to approximately 62 lakh people. The project also envisages the generation of 103 megawatts of hydropower and 27 megawatts of solar energy. Completion is targeted for March 2030.
Another high-priority proposal is the modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) link project, which has seen collaborative planning between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. If implemented, the scheme will provide irrigation for six lakh hectares, drinking water for 36 districts across both states, and industrial water for areas linked to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
Also read: Ken-Betwa Project threat to Panna Tiger Reserve: Congress
The government is also pursuing the Godavari-Cauvery link proposal, which would divert surplus, unutilised waters from the Indravati sub-basin in Chhattisgarh. This project is projected to irrigate 6.78 lakh hectares annually while supplying water for domestic and industrial use to more than 21 million people. A draft Memorandum of Agreement has already been circulated among the relevant states.
Meanwhile, Bihar's Kosi-Mechi intra-state link scheme is being advanced to channel surplus monsoon water for irrigating over 2.1 lakh hectares. Officials also hope the project will alleviate the impact of recurring floods downstream of the Kosi River.
The ILR programme, while seen as a long-term solution to India’s chronic water imbalances, has repeatedly run into federal tensions. Experts have flagged environmental concerns, rehabilitation issues, and inter-state disputes over river rights as additional roadblocks.
Despite technical preparedness and central funding, execution remains dependent on political will and cooperative federalism—a reality the government appears increasingly willing to acknowledge.
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