PM Modi lays Foundation Stone for Mandal Dam Project
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone for the Mandal Dam Project on the North Koel River. The Mandal Dam Project would be boon for the states of Jharkhand and Bihar.
Mandal Dam Project
The features of the Mandal Dam project are:
- The Mandal Dam project will help around one lakh eleven thousand hectares of agricultural land in Jharkhand and Bihar to get irrigation facilities.
- 24 MW of electricity will also be produced.
- The project is scheduled to be completed in 30 months at the estimated cost of Rs. 1622.27 crores.
- 60 Per cent would be financed by the central government as a grant from Long-Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY).
- Remaining 40% will be borne by the States through loan financed by NABARD.
Why the project was stalled?
The construction of the Mandal Dam began in 1972 and continued till 1993. Later it was stalled over the concerns raised by the Bihar Forest Department.
The project threatens to submerge the portions of the Palamau Tiger Reserve and Betla National Park. The central government has now approved the ‘in principle’ for diversion of forest under Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) for the construction of Mandal Dam. The Central Government has set some conditions in this regard.
North Koel River
North Koel River originates on Ranchi plateau in Jharkhand and joins the Sone River, a few miles north-west of Haidarnagar in Jharkhand. The river meanders through the northern part of Betla National Park. The principal tributaries of the North Koel River are Auranga and the Amanat.
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Month: Current Affairs - January, 2019