Multipurpose River Valley ProjectsMultipurpose River Valley Projects

Himalayan and eastern river systems possess immense hydro-electric and irrigation potential, powering the agricultural heartland of the Indo-Gangetic plain.

• Bhakra Nangal Project: Built across the Sutlej River, it is India's highest concrete gravity dam (226m). Its reservoir is named Govind Sagar Lake, located in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
• Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC): India's first multipurpose river valley project established on July 7, 1948. Comprises dams at Tilaiya, Konar, Maithon, and Panchet Hill across the Damodar river basin.
• Tehri Dam Project: Constructed on the Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand, it is India's highest earth-fill and rock-fill dam (260.5m). It is executed in collaboration with Russia.
• Kosi Project: An international treaty project between India and Nepal executed on the Kosi River (Sorrow of Bihar), featuring the Hanumannagar Barrage for flood control and irrigation.
• Rihand Project (UP Special): Located in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh on the Rihand River (tributary of Son). Its reservoir is Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar, India's largest artificial lake.

Peninsular rivers rely heavily on seasonal monsoonal flows, making massive storage reservoirs vital for drought mitigation in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

• Narmada Valley Project (Sardar Sarovar): Built on the Narmada River in Gujarat, benefiting Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. Associated with the Statue of Unity and Narmada Bachao Andolan.
• Nagarjuna Sagar Project: Constructed across the Krishna River on the border of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It is world's largest masonry dam with an extensive canal network.
• Hirakud Dam Project: Built across the Mahanadi River in Odisha, it is one of the world's longest mainstream dams with a total length of 25.8 km including dykes.
• Tungabhadra Project: A joint venture between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on the Tungabhadra River, a major tributary of the Krishna River, providing robust irrigation.
• Koyna Hydroelectric Project: Located in Maharashtra on the Koyna River (tributary of Krishna), it is the largest completed hydroelectric power plant in India, known as the 'Lifeline of Maharashtra'.

The Interlinking of Rivers project aims to transfer surplus water from flood-prone river basins to water-deficit and drought-prone regions through canal networks and reservoirs.

• Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP): India's first interlinking project under the National Perspective Plan, transferring water from the Ken River to the Betwa River to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region (UP & MP).
• National Water Development Agency (NWDA): Established in 1982 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti to carry out studies and feasibility reports for the interlinking of Himalayan and Peninsular rivers.
• Himalayan Component: Envisages construction of storage reservoirs on the Kosi, Gandak, Ganga, and Brahmaputra rivers to transfer surplus flows to western UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
• Peninsular Component: Connects Mahanadi and Godavari to Krishna, Pennar, and Cauveri rivers, featuring major links like Godavari-Krishna and Cauveri-Vellar-Vaigai.

Constitutional provisions and tribunals regulate the equitable distribution and dispute resolution of interstate river waters in federal India.

• Article 262 of the Constitution: Empowers Parliament to enact laws providing for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution, or control of interstate river waters.
• Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956: Enacted by Parliament to establish ad-hoc tribunals for adjudicating water disputes when states fail to reach a negotiated settlement.
• Key River Water Tribunals: Major tribunals include Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, and Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.
• Inter-State Council (Article 263): Presidential body established to investigate and discuss subjects of common interest between the Union and States, including water resource policies.