Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday, 21 August directed district officials to conduct door-to-door visits in villages affected by the Ken-Betwa River Linking National Project, pledging that the state government would leave no room for error in rehabilitating the 5,039 displaced families in Panna and Chhatarpur districts. The directives were issued during a project review meeting at the Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Centre in Khajuraho.

Key Directives from the Review Meeting

Yadav instructed the district administrations of Panna and Chhatarpur to deploy officials directly to affected villages to hear grievances and resolve genuine issues on priority. He specifically called for sensitive handling of concerns raised by tribal families. Officials were also asked to ensure that eligible families receive the benefits of government schemes at their doorstep.

The Chief Minister further ordered the preparation of an action plan covering schools, Anganwadis, health centres, and community halls at rehabilitation sites. He directed Water Resources Minister Tulsiram Silavat to monitor the project regularly and ensure inter-departmental coordination. Immediate disbursement of additional compensation sanctioned for those affected by the Runjh-Majhgaon project in Panna was also ordered.

Scale of Displacement and Rehabilitation Status

Of the 5,039 affected families, 1,321 are from Panna and 3,718 from Chhatarpur. According to officials present at the review, all affected families have opted for the special rehabilitation and resettlement package offered by the government. In cases where affected persons lack documents establishing their age, a medical examination will be used to determine it.

Yadav also directed that Jan Chaupal meetings and awareness campaigns be organised in affected areas to explain the project's benefits and address residents' concerns transparently.

What the CM Said on Criticism

'The government is ready to listen to the grievances of genuine families affected by the Ken-Betwa link project. But some people are trying to mislead the people and defame such a large and important project, which is going to change the lives of people of entire Bundelkhand, is condemnable,' Yadav said at a press interaction following the review. He added: 'With such a large-scale scheme, the entire lifestyle of Bundelkhand is going to change. If someone tries to defame it or take political advantage of it, I will condemn such an act.'

Project Scope and Expected Benefits

The Ken-Betwa River Linking National Project is projected to expand irrigation capacity in Madhya Pradesh by approximately 8.11 lakh hectares and provide drinking water access to more than 44 lakh people. The project also envisages generation of 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy. It is expected to directly benefit 1,382 villages across Panna, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Sagar, Vidisha, Raisen, Shivpuri, and Datia districts — the core of the historically water-scarce Bundelkhand region.

This comes amid longstanding concerns about displacement in Bundelkhand, where past infrastructure projects have drawn criticism over delayed compensation and inadequate resettlement. The state government's emphasis on proactive outreach signals an attempt to pre-empt similar controversies. The next visible milestone will be whether the action plans for rehabilitation infrastructure are operationalised within the timelines officials are expected to set.