MP-UP close to agreement on Ken-Betwa link project: Minister

Besides irrigating thousands of hectares, thescheme will provide drinking water to 62 lakh people, hesaid.There are 31 river interlinking projects planned inthe country, of which Ken-Betwa is the first that has reachedan advanced level of planning, he added.Shekhawat said Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasresolved to provide drinking water of right quality and inright quantity to all rural households by 2024.When this resolve was made, there were 19 crore suchrural households.

Union Jal Shakti Minister GajendraSingh Shekhawat on Saturday said people would soon get goodnews regarding the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project as thegovernments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were close toan agreement on it.

Speaking to reporters here, he said discussions on theproject were underway between the two states since 15 yearsand now ''some minor issues are left for which there is needfor clarifications''.

''Now, I can say we are almost reaching an agreement,''the minister said, adding that he would soon meet chiefministers of MP and UP to sort out minor issues.

''River linking projects are important for the country.

The Ken-Betwa project will benefit the dry Bundelkhand area inMP and UP. Besides irrigating thousands of hectares, thescheme will provide drinking water to 62 lakh people,'' hesaid.

There are 31 river interlinking projects planned inthe country, of which Ken-Betwa is the first that has reachedan advanced level of planning, he added.

Shekhawat said Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasresolved to provide drinking water of ''right quality'' and in''right quantity'' to all rural households by 2024.

''When this resolve was made, there were 19 crore suchrural households. Only about 15-16 per cent of them, that issome 3.23 crore homes, got water, despite all efforts in thepast 70 years. The Jal Shakti ministry in just one year hasprovided water to 3.23 crore more households,'' he said.

Speaking on groundwater exploitation, he said Indiawas leading on this front followed by the United States ofAmerica and China.

''Our country draws almost 1.5 times more groundwaterthan what the US and China do collectively,'' he added.

Earlier in the day, he met MP Chief Minister ShivrajSingh Chouhan to discuss the Ken-Betwa project as well asvarious water supply initiatives under the Atal GroundwaterScheme and Jal Jeevan Mission.

Shekhawat said MP has set a target of September, 2023to provide water to every rural household in the state.