Ken-Betwa river linking project revived

New Delhi: The center today has revived the controversial Ken -Betwa river linking project.

The project envisages diversion of 1,074 million cubic metres of surplus water from the Ken basin to the Betwa basin.

'The detailed project report (DPR) had been sent to the two states (Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) in 2009. We are following up on it and trying to build a consensus. Teams of the National Water Development Agency will be sent to convince the states,' said a senior official of the ministry.

The Rs 9,393-crore project (as per 2008 estimates) was first conceived in the 1980s but it was in 2000 when the project was given proper shape. It will be an irrigation boon for Banda, Mahoba and Jhansi districts of Uttar Pradesh and Chhatarpur, Panna and Tikamgarh districts of Madhya Pradesh.