Daily current affairs · 19 August 2026
Ken Betwa River Linking Project Daudhan Dam Bundelkhand Resistance
Why in news
- Local indigenous communities in Bundelkhand protested displacement caused by the ongoing construction of the Daudhan dam.
Information
- The Ken-Betwa Link Project is India's first major inter-state river interlinking project implemented under the National Perspective Plan.
- The project transfers surplus water from the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh to the water-deficit Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
- The central feature is the construction of the Daudhan Dam within the core area of Panna Tiger Reserve.
- Protests stem from severe displacement concerns and the submerged loss of over 6,000 hectares of forest land, impacting local Adivasi livelihoods and wildlife habitat.
Key terms
Inter-Linking of Rivers
A national civil engineering proposal to connect rivers through canals and reservoirs to transfer surplus water to drought-prone basins.
Panna Tiger Reserve
A protected area located in the Vindhyan hill range of Madhya Pradesh traversed by the Ken River.
Prelims facts
- Both Ken and Betwa rivers are right-bank tributaries of the Yamuna River originating in Madhya Pradesh.
- The Daudhan dam construction directly impacts core habitat inside the Panna Tiger Reserve.
Mains discussion
- Evaluate the ecological, developmental, and rehabilitation trade-offs involved in large-scale inter-basin water transfer projects in India.
Source: The Hindu
PYQ trend
When UPSC asked this
Related PYQs from other years, newest first. Open a question to read it.
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2019 · Q6(b) · Sociology GS 2 · 20 marks
Highlight the main features of the 'Inter-linking of Rivers' project in India. What could be its probable advantages to Indian agriculture?