6 states sign Renukaji Dam project agreement

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 11

Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari and six Yamuna basin states, namely Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Friday signed an agreement for construction of Renukaji Dam Multi-Purpose Project.

“After construction of the multi-purpose dam project, the flow of Giri river will increase about 110 per cent which will meet the drinking water needs of Delhi and the other Yamuna basin states up to some extent in lean period,” Gadkari said after the agreement signing.

He further said the ministry will push to submit the project to the Cabinet for approval within a fortnight, after which process of issuance of tenders will be put in motion. The proposed dam, which will be constructed in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh on 1,508 hectare at a cost of about Rs 4,597 crore on Giri river in upper Yamuna basin will augment water availability for the states concerned.

The Centre will bear 90 per cent of cost of irrigation/drinking water component, and balance amount will be borne by the states as per MoU inked by them in 1994. The project will also generate 40 MW of power during peak flow. It is proposed to be executed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL).

Water will be stored in the dam from which 23 cumec will be distributed among the states as per their share.

The states’ share from the water to be distributed will be: Haryana 47.8 per cent; Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand -33.65 per cent; Himachal Pradesh - 3.15 per cent; Rajasthan-9.3 per cent and NCT of Delhi: 6.04 per cent. The project will also generate 40 MW of power during peak flow. Thakur said Himachal would get about 200 million units of electricity at Rs 0.30 per unit only. It would earn net revenue of about Rs 60 core per annum to the HPPCL. The revenue benefit would further increase over a period of time.

90% funding by centre

• The proposed dam, which will be constructed in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh on 1,508 hectare at a cost of about  Rs 4,597 crore on Giri river in upper Yamuna basin will augment water availability for the states concerned.
• The Centre will bear 90 per cent of cost of irrigation/drinking water component. The project will also generate 40 MW of power during peak flow. It is proposed to be executed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL).