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Kishau Multipurpose Project moves ahead after years of delay
Why in News?
Six States, one dam: the Kishau Project numbers every River Valley Projects question needs
The long-delayed Kishau Multipurpose Project on the Tons river has advanced, with benefits planned for six States including Uttarakhand and Delhi.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
The long-delayed Kishau Multipurpose Project, a dam proposed on the Tons river on the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border, has taken a step forward with a fresh inter-state agreement.
The project is designed to provide irrigation, drinking water and hydropower benefits to six States: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Multipurpose river valley projects of this kind are typically funded and coordinated through cost-sharing arrangements among the beneficiary States and the Centre.
Sources: Indian Express · Topper IAS editorial
Key facts
Remember these
- Kishau Multipurpose Project is a proposed dam on the Tons river, on the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border.
- It has advanced through a fresh inter-state agreement after years of delay.
- Designed to provide irrigation, drinking water and hydropower benefits to six States.
- Beneficiary States: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and the NCT of Delhi.
- Multipurpose river valley projects are typically funded via cost-sharing among beneficiary States and the Centre.
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The Kishau Multipurpose Project is located on the Tons river on the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border.
- It is intended to provide irrigation, drinking water and hydropower benefits to six States, including the NCT of Delhi.
- Multipurpose river valley projects are generally financed through cost-sharing arrangements between beneficiary States and the Union government.
Mains
GS Paper 1 (Geography/River Valley Projects) and GS Paper 3 (Water resources): the issue is chronic delay in inter-state river valley projects caused by difficulty in reaching cost-sharing consensus among riparian States. The fresh inter-state agreement on Kishau signals progress, but implications include long-pending irrigation, drinking water and hydropower gains for six States. The way forward lies in stronger institutional mechanisms, such as river basin authorities, to speed up inter-state consensus on such projects.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
The Kishau Multipurpose Project, a long-delayed dam proposed on the Tons river, is designed to provide irrigation, drinking water and power benefits to which group of states?
- Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
- The National Capital Territory of Delhi alone
- Six states including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi
- Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh alone
Show answer
Answer: C — The Kishau Multipurpose Project on the Tons river is designed to benefit six states/UTs — Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory of Delhi — through irrigation, drinking water and hydropower.
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