On December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Ken-Betwa River Linking National Project, commemorating the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. While hailed as a transformative initiative for India’s water management, the project has sparked debates over its environmental impact, particularly on the Panna Tiger Reserve.
What is the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP)?
The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is a pioneering initiative under the National Perspective Plan (NPP) for interlinking rivers, prepared in 1980. This project aims to transfer water from the Ken River to the Betwa River, both tributaries of the Yamuna. It is designed to address water scarcity and boost agricultural productivity in drought-prone regions of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Uttar Pradesh (UP).
