Under the NPP, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 links (16 under Peninsular Component & 14 under Himalayan Component) for preparation of Feasibility Reports (FRs). Under the Peninsular Component, the Godavari Krishna (Inchampalli-Nagarjuna sagar) link and Godavari-Krishna (Inchampalli-Pulichintalla) link projects envisage to provide benefits to Telangana State. NWDA have prepared the FRs of these two links.

The stage of implementation of a project would be reached after its Detailed Project report (DPR) is prepared with the consensus of concerned States and the requisite statutory clearances are obtained.

An enabling allocation of Rs. 100 lakhs for the program to interlink river has been made in the budget of each of the last three years including current year. No fund has been utilized as no inter-linking of rivers project has reached the stage of execution.

Alternate studies for diversion of unutilised waters of Indravati sub-basin to Krishna, Pennar and Cauvery basins have been carried out and accordingly draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Godavari-Cauvery link project consisting of three links viz; Godavari (Inchampalli/Janampet) – Krishna (Nagarjuna sagar), Krishna (Nagarjuna sagar) – Pennar (Somasila), Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link projects have been completed and circulated to party States in March 2019 for comments. As per the draft DPR, this link project will benefit about 9.38 lakh ha of area, out of which 1.84 lakh ha lies in Telangana.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Social Justice & Empowerment, Rattan Lal Kataria, in a written reply in Lok Sabha on 12 December.