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Multipurpose national waterways under study

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI OCT. 12. A mega project to link all rivers in the country for irrigation, power generation and navigation, submitted by the National Waterways Development Council (NWDC), is under Government consideration.

According to the NWDC Chairman, A.C. Kamaraj, the Rs. 4,00,000-crore Ganga-Kumari National Waterways Project'', submitted to the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and the Planning Commission, will comprise three waterways — Himalayan (4,500 km), central (5,750 km) and southern (4,625 km) — and form a network of rivers from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. It will provide a 15,000-km long waterways operational all through the year for eco-friendly transport by medium ships and boat.

The huge budget will not be a burden on the Government as the project is proposed to be executed on a "build, own, operate and transfer" basis.

Besides generating 60,000 MW of pollution-free power, the project will provide drinking water to 600 million people.

Mr. Kamaraj said the returns were estimated at Rs. 80,000 crores per year.

Maintaining uniform and adequate water supply would avoid inter-State disputes and, moreover, the Centre could take over the rivers under the Seventh Schedule of Article 246 of the Constitution.

After a three-year survey and investigation of technical feasibility, the project could be completed within seven years.

It would be a source of irrigation for an additional 150 million acres and control floods in Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

The project, developed by a team of experts, including former Chief Engineers of government departments, was also aimed at boosting tourism.

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