Madhya Pradesh: The finance minister in her Budget speech on February 1st announced that the implementation of the Ken Betwa River linking project at a sum of Rs 44,605 crore will be taken up. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan welcomed the Budget tabled by the finance minister under the leadership of PM Modi. He expressed joy at the approval of the project that foresees huge development of the state. Terming the move to launch the country’s own digital currency a revolutionary step, he said, “ it is a historic decision of the visionary PM-led government. This will strengthen the economy. The digital currency will lead to more robust, efficient, reliable payment options reducing dependency on cash.”
The project coming up in the drought-hit region of Bundelkhand spreads across 13 districts in Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring UP. Expected to benefit more than 9 lakh hectare farmland this project would come up in Panna, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri, Raisen.
With a sum of Rs 1,400 crore allocated for the project in 2022-23, the project is expected to provide water supply to about 62 lakh people besides generating 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW solar power. Moreover, 4 dams will be constructed in Vidisha across the Betwa river. Along with them, dams will also be constructed on the tributaries of the Betwa River, in Sagar and Shivpuri, tributaries of Betwa.