Resolution
Task
Force:
The
Ministry of Water Resources with the approval of Honourable
Prime Minister
has set up a Task Force on interlinking of rivers vide its
resolution dated 13th December, 2002. The copy of
the resolution is reproduced below:
No.
2/21/2002-BM
Government
of India
Ministry
of Water Resources
New
Delhi, the 13th December,
2002.
RESOLUTION
The
Ministry of Water Resources (then known as Ministry of
Irrigation) in the year 1980 formulated a National Perspective
Plan for water resources development by transferring water
from water surplus basins to water deficit basins/regions by
inter-linking of rivers.
The National Perspective Plan has two main components
i.e. the Himalayan Rivers Development and Peninsular Rivers
Development. The
National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was set up as a
Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, in 1982 to
carry out the detailed studies and detailed surveys and
investigations to prepare feasibility reports of the links
under the National Perspective Plan.
2. NWDA has,
after carrying out detailed studies, identified 30 links for
preparation of feasibility reports and has prepared
feasibility reports of 6 such links. The various basin
States have expressed divergent views about the studies and
feasibility reports prepared by NWDA. With a view to
bringing about a consensus among the states and provide
guidance on the norms of appraisal of individual projects and
modalities for project funding etc. the Central Government
hereby sets up a Task Force.
3. The Task
Force shall be as under:
i.
Shri
Suresh P.Prabhu, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha,
Chairman;
ii. Shri
C. C. Patel, Vice Chairman and
iii. Dr.
C.D. Thatte, Member Secretary.
4. In addition to
above members of the Task Force, part-time members will also
be nominated in consultation with the Chairman of the Task
Force and with the approval of the Prime Minister. These part-time
members will be as under:
i.
Member
from water deficit States
ii.
A
person from water surplus States
iii.
An
Economist
iv.
A
Sociologist and
v.
A
legal / World Wildlife Expert
5. The terms of
reference of the Task Force will be to:
i.
Provide
guidance on norms of appraisal of individual projects in
respect of economic viability, socio-economic impacts,
environmental impacts and preparation of resettlement
plans;
ii.
Devise
suitable mechanism for bringing about speedy consensus amongst
the States;
iii.
Prioritize
the different project components for preparation of Detailed
Project Reports and implementation;
iv.
Propose
suitable organizational structure for implementing the
project;
vi.
Consider
various modalities for project funding and
vii.
Consider
international dimensions that may be involved in some project
components.
6.
The Task Force shall have its headquarters in New Delhi and
shall meet as and when necessary.
7.
The terms and conditions for Chairman, Vice-Chairman,
Member-Secretary and other Member shall be decided in due
course.
8. The
milestone/time table for achieving the goal of interlinking of
rivers by the end of 2016 is as given below:
Milestone
dates/Time Table for Interlinking of
Rivers
|
(i)
Notification of the Task
Force |
By
16.12.2002 |
|
(ii)
Preparation of Action Plan-I, giving an outline of the
time schedules for the completion of the feasibility
studies, detailed project reports, estimated cost,
implementation schedule, concrete benefits and
advantages of the project, etc. |
30.4.2003 |
|
(iii)
Preparation of Action Plan-II, giving alternative
options for funding and execution of the project as also
the suggested methods for cost
recovery |
31.7.2003 |
|
(iv)
Meeting with the Chief Ministers to deliberate over the project and to
elicit their cooperation |
May/June,
2003 |
|
(v)
Completion of Feasibility Studies (already in
progress) |
31.12.2005 |
|
(vi)
Completion of Detailed Project
Reports.
(Preparation
of DPRs will start simultaneously since feasibility
studies in respect of six river links have already been
completed)
|
31.12.2006 |
|
(vii)
Implementation of the Project (10 years)
|
31.12.2016 |
9.
The
financial provisions of the Task Force will be regulated as
under:
i.
All
the capital and revenue expenditure required to be incurred by
the Task Force shall be borne by the Central Government
through the grants-in-aid to National Water Development
Agency; and
ii.
National
Water Development Agency will account for expenditure of the
Task Force as a part of its establishment expenditure and
would provide such other secretarial/ministerial assistance as
may be required.
Audit of Controller General of Accounts and Comptroller
and Auditor General of India would be incident on such
expenditure in the same manner as it would be on National
Water Development Agency’s other usual
expenditure.
Sd/-
(
VIJAY KUMAR )
Deputy
Secretary to the Government of India
As per Ministry of Water Resources Resolution dated
18-2-2003, Shri Deepak Das Gupta was inducted as full time
member in the Task Force.
As
per Ministry of Water Resources Resolution dated 24-2-2003,
following 5 part time members were inducted in the Task
Force.
1.
Shri
Piyush Goyal
2.
Shri
G.C.Sahu
3.
Shri
K.Kasturirangan
4.
Shri
K.V.Kamath
5.
Shri
R.K.Pachauri
As
per Ministry of Water Resources Resolution dated 24-3-2003,
following 3 part time members were inducted in the Task
Force.
1.
Shri
B.G.Verghese
2.
Prof.
B.R.Chauhan
3.
Shri
Hari Babu
As
per Ministry of Water Resources Resolution dated 15. 07. 2003,
Shri A. Mohankrishnan was inducted as Member in the Task
Force.
Shri.
M.Gopalakrishnan, Ex-Member, Central Water Commission had been
appointed as Coordinator, Task Force by Govt. of India on 5th
February, 2003. Now Shri R.S.Prasad,Ex.Chairman of Central
Water Commission has been appointed as the Coordinator of the
Task Force on 28th November,2003, as Shri
M.Gopalakrishnan, has been selected as the Secretary General
of the International Commission on Irrigation and
Drainage(ICID). The TF Office has a few officers
and staff on secondment from the National Water Development
Agency.
