MOU signed for the first river interlinking project of Ken-Betwa
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan –
Catch the Rain’ campaign via video conferencing. Launched as a ‘Jan Andolan’ (people’s movement),
the campaign aims at conserving water and managing its use through a participatory approach. The
water conservation campaign will be implemented throughout India from March 22 to Nov 30, 2021
(pre monsoon and during monsoon period).
The theme of the campaign to be followed is ‘Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls’. PM Modi also announced the implementation of the Ken-Betwa Interlink Project (KBIP) with the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU – an agreement) with the Union Water Ministry.
The interlink project is the first of the ‘National Perspective Plan’ for interlinking the rivers and aims to transfer surplus water from river Ken (MP) to Betwa (UP) to support the water parched Bundelkhand region.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) more than 69 million
rural households have received tap water as of Feb 27th,
Rs. 50,011 crores have been allocated to JJM
under the Union Budget to provide water connection to
12.50 crores households by 2024.