Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 1

Eastern Rajasthan Canal Projects (ERCP) is planned to harvest surplus yield available in the Southern Rajasthan rivers and transfer to deficit basins in South-Estern Rajasthan.

Eastern Rajasthan Canal Projects (ERCP)

• ERCP is an ambitious project that is set to benefit 13 districts with over 3.5 crore population through the interlinking of the Parvati, Kali Sindh and Chambal rivers.
• It aims to transfer surplus water available in Southern Rajasthan rivers such as Chambal and its tributaries during the rainy season to the south-eastern districts of the state.
• It will ensure the availability of water for drinking and irrigation purposes.
• It would help to improve the groundwater table of the state.
• It will promote socio-economic development in the state.
• It will ensure women’s empowerment and also improve the standard of living of the people.
• It will help in encouraging investment in the state and also increase the revenue potential of the state.

Chambal River

• It originates from the northern slopes of the Vindhya mountains in Madhya Pradesh.
• From Madhya Pradesh, it enters Rajasthan and then Uttar Pradesh.
• In UP it joins the Yamuna River in Etawah District.
• Tributaries: Banas, Kali Sindh, Sipra, Parbati, etc.
• The National Chambal Sanctuary is located along the river Chambal.
• It is known for the critically endangered Gharial.

Issues

• All parties should strive for national status to Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project.
• Rajasthan government opposed centre’s objection to halt work on the proposed Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) until issues with Madhya Pradesh are resolved
• An all-party meeting on ERCP, reiterated the project’s significance for the State and offered to send a team of experts to the Centre for holding talks on its technical aspects.

2005 Agreement

The Inter-State Water Control Board had decided in an agreement signed in 2005 that any of the two States could use water from its own catchment area as well as 10% of the water received from the catchment areas of the other for any project.

Rajasthan Views

• Rajasthan claims to have prepared the DPR on ERCP in accordance with the Inter-State Water Control Board’s decision and in compliance with the 2010 guidelines of the Central Water Commission (CWC).
• Terming the objection to its project baseless, Rajasthan said MP had constructed the Mohanpura dam on the Newaj river, a tributary of Parbati river, and the Kundalia dam on Kali Sindh river, developing about 2.65-lakh hectare irrigation area in its territory.
• Madhya Pradesh obtained the no-objection certificate from Rajasthan after the construction of dams in 2017.
• The all-party meeting again raised the demand for the national project status for ERCP.

Madhya Pradesh’s Objection

• A significant aspect of Madhya Pradesh’s objection is related to the water dependability.
• According to the agreement between the two States, a project for water supply can be formulated only on 75% water dependability, whereas the detailed project report (DPR) of ERCP is based on 50% water dependability.
• This will result in the breach of agreement, according to the Madhya Pradesh.