A New Chapter for Bundelkhand: Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the Ken-Betwa Initiative
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Khajuraho, Dec 25 (NationPress) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the commencement of the Ken-Betwa river linking project will mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Bundelkhand region across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The Union Minister emphasized that the Bundelkhand area faced significant neglect during the Congress administration.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Madhya Pradesh for the bhoomi pujan of the Ken-Betwa river linking project. It is indeed a moment of honor that this event coincides with the birthday of our esteemed leader and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This will signal the onset of a new era for Bundelkhand," Chouhan remarked.
In anticipation of PM Modi's visit, the Madhya Pradesh BJP organized a 'Kalash Yatra'. Water for the Kalash Yatra was sourced from the origin of the Ken River in Katni.
State BJP leader and Khajuraho Lok Sabha member V.D. Sharma spearheaded the Kalash Yatra, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, Rural Development Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, and various other BJP dignitaries.
The event space designated for the 'bhoomi pujan' of the Ken-Betwa river link project will be adorned in vibrant saffron colors along with BJP flags.
This ambitious Rs 49,000-crore project, recognized as the nation's inaugural river-linking endeavor under the national river interlinking policy, aims to tackle drought and migration challenges within the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
It is projected to provide irrigation to over 8.11 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 59,000 hectares in Uttar Pradesh, positively affecting around seven lakh farmers while stabilizing current irrigation systems.
The project also aims to supply drinking water to 44 lakh individuals in Madhya Pradesh and 21 lakh in Uttar Pradesh, alongside generating 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy. Furthermore, it entails the restoration of 42 Chandela-era heritage ponds to improve groundwater levels.
The Ken-Betwa initiative is the largest irrigation project in the nation, utilizing an underground pressurized pipe irrigation system.
The project includes the construction of a 77-meter-high Daudhan Dam on the Ken River within the Panna Tiger Reserve, channeling excess water to the Betwa River through a 221-km canal. It is anticipated to enhance forest ecosystems and alleviate flooding in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district.
The Daudhan Reservoir will ensure a year-round water supply for wildlife in the Panna Tiger Reserve, enrich the forest ecosystem, and provide relief to Banda district from flooding issues.
