Cabinet approves project to strengthen dams including those managed by BBMB

As many as 12 dams in Punjab, managed by the state government, are among the total dams identified for the project

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday approved the Phase II and Phase III of the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) which aims to strengthen 736 dams in 19 states, including those managed by Centre’s Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

As many as 12 dams in Punjab, managed by the state government, are among the total dams identified for the project.

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the dams included in the project consist of those managed by the central agencies and the ones managed locally by the state governments concerned.

The dams included were identified by the respective state governments.

The aim of the project is to improve the safety and operational performance of selected dams across the country, along with institutional strengthening with system wide management approach.

The World Bank (WB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will provide assistance for the project. The project cost is Rs 10,211 crore.

It will be implemented over a period of 10 years duration in two phases, each of six years duration with two years overlapping from April 2021 to March 2031.

The share of external funding is Rs 7,000 crore of the total project cost, and balance Rs 3,211 crore is to be borne by the concerned Implementing Agencies (IAs).

The contribution of the Union government is Rs 1,024 crore as loan liability and Rs 285 crore as counter-part funding for central component.

More components have been added to the first phase of DRIP which was implemented from 2012-2020. Dams in seven states were taken up in this phase.

“The NDA government expedited the implementation during its six years of its rule,” Shekhawat said.

He said the two phases approved envisages improving the safety and performance of selected existing dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner.

Besides, the objective is to explore the alternative incidental means at few of selected dams to generate the incidental revenue for sustainable operation and maintenance of dams.