Multi-Purpose Projects of India

The following points highlight the eight important multi-purpose projects of India. The multi-purpose projects are: 1. Bhakra Nangal Project 2. Beas Project 3. Damodar Valley Project 4. Hirakud or Mahanadi Dam Project 5. Chambal Valley Project 6. Kosi Project 7. Rajasthan Canal Project 8. Tungabhadra Project.

Multi-Purpose Project # 1. Bhakra Nangal Project:

This project was launched with the mutual co-operation among the states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Delhi in also another beneficiary of the project. In 1948, this project was launched with an expenditure of Rs 248 crore. The location of this project is at Bhakra Village under the district of Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh and Nangal in Punjab which is harnessing the water resources of river Sutlej.

The project is consisting of following units:

(a) Bhakra Dam. A 518 metre long dam with a height of 226 metres (highest in the world) along with a lake of 140 square kilometers of area within river.

(b) Nangal Dam. A long dam with a height of 29 metres located at Nangal village of Ropar district.

(c) Nangal Hydel Channel. A 64-km long canal between Nangal and Ropar for generating hydro electricity at two hydel power stations within its ambit.

(d) Kotla and Ganguwal Power House. Based on Nangal channel to generate around 96,000 kilowatt of hydel power.

(e) Bhakra Power House. Adjacent to Bhakra dam.

(f) Bhakra Canal System. 1,100 km long canal the longest concrete channel in the world with its off shoots or distributaries spreading across 33,600 kms.

Benefits:

This project has created a great impact on the economy of Punjab by converting its huge dry area into the most fertile land and the granary of the country. As a result of this project around 14.8 lakh hectares of land belonging to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan has been reclaimed for cultivation of various crops.

The project has also the installed capacity to generate 12 lakh kilowatt of power to feed the power requirement of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

Multi-Purpose Project # 2. Beas Project:

Among all the multi-purpose projects in India, Beas project is the biggest one. This Rs 360 crore project is a joint venture of the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. In order to harness the water of Beas River, the work for this project was started in 1962 initially at Pong village of Himachal Pradesh.

The project is consisting of following two units:

(a) Beas Sutlej Link:

This is a 13 km long channel prepared for diverting water from river Beas to Gobind Sagar Lake of Bhakra Dam. This unit of the project is having a power house with an installed capacity of 660 megawatt of power generation, which started its operation since June 1977, with an estimated expenditure of Rs 715 crore.

(b) Beas Dam:

This unit of the Beas project was completed in 1974. This project has started its operation at Pong area of Himachal Pradesh and its estimated height is 133 metre. As per plan, this dam is bigger than Bhakra dam and it is earthquake-proof and also has its installed capacity to generate 1020 M.W. of power.

Benefits:

After completion, this project is destined to provide irrigation facilities to 26 lakh square hectares of land lying in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, to help in flood control, to develop ferrying services for a stretch of only 37 kms and is also expected to generate 9 lakh kilowatt of electricity. The whole project was completed in June 1977.

Multi-Purpose Project # 3. Damodar Valley Project:

It is another multi-purpose project of the Damodar River and its tributaries providing benefits to West Bengal and Bihar. Development of power, irrigation system and control of flood are the primary objectives of this project.

The project is composed of following units:

(a) Four storage dams have been constructed across the Damodar River and its tributaries at Tilaiya (completed in 1953), Konar (completed in 1955), Maithon (completed in 1958) and Panchet Hill (completed in 1959). Tilaiya, Maithon and Panchet are having three hydel power stations with an installed capacity of 104 mW.

(b) Three thermal power stations have been installed at Bokaro, Durgapur and Chanderpura with a total installed capacity of 1,077 mW.

(c) A 692 metre long and 11.58 metre high barrage has also been constructed at Durgapur which picks up the regulated flow from these dams and also diverts it into a canal network for irrigating 5.15 lakh hectares of land. A section of it (around 137 kms) has also been made navigable between Raniganj coalfields and Kolkata for providing alternative means of communication.

Benefits:

The project has created a D.V.C. power system with total installed capacity of 1183 mW consisting of 1077 mW of thermal power and 104 mW of hydel power. The project has also made provision for controlling flood in around 7,250 sq kms of area and also for irrigating 5.15 lakh hectares of land.

Moreover, the canal network of the project has facilitated navigation facility across 137 kms long stretch between coal mines of Raniganj and Kolkata.

Multi-Purpose Project # 4. Hirakud or Mahanadi Dam Project:

The Hirakud or Mahanadi Dam Project has been built on ‘Mahanadi’ river of Orissa which comprises three dams, viz., one at Hirakud, the second at Tikarpara and the third at Naraj near Cuttack. Each dam is maintaining own canal system along with hydro-electric power installations.

Following are the different units of this project:

(a) Hirakud dam with 4,800 metres of length and 36 metres in height has been constructed with an expenditure of Rs 66 crore.

(b) Tikarpara and Naraj are the two other dams of this project which are having its own canal system and hydroelectric installations.

(c) Mahanadi-Delta irrigation scheme is an extension stage I of project comprising river Mahanadi, Mundali and Birupa rivers which has created irrigation potential of 5.15 lakh square hectares.

Benefits:

The first phase of the project has created irrigation potential for 2.5 lakh square hectares of land. The second phase of the project has also created irrigation potential of 6.8 lakh square hectares of land. This project has created potential for the generation of 5 lakh kW of energy available for mining industry and also to Rourkela.

Moreover, the project has also developed navigation facility over 480 kms stretch from Hirakud to sea.

Multi-Purpose Project # 5. Chambal Valley Project:

This project is a joint venture of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan which envisages three dams across the river Chambal stretching around 80 kms between Kota and Chaurasigarh.

The project has three distinct phases:

(a) Gandhi Sagar Dam:

This dam is set up at Madhya Pradesh across the Chambal River. Moreover, a barrage has also been constructed at Kotah along with canals on either side of the barrage. The total expenditure of this project was Rs 64 crore.

The project has created irrigation potential to the extent of 4.44 lakh square hectares of land in Rajasthan and has also developed potential for power generation with a potential of 1.15 lakh kW of hydro power.

(b) Rana Pratap Sagar Dam:

This dam is set up at a distance of 56 kms from Kotah and it was completed in 1970. It provides irrigation facilities to 1.22 lakh hectares of land and can generate 17 lakh kilowatt of electricity with its four generating units of 43 mW each. Total investment in this project was Rs 32 crore.

(c) Jawahar Sagar Dam:

This is the third stage of the project which was set up 17 km away from Kota with an expenditure of Rs 1842 crore. The project has also set up a power project with an installed capacity of 99 mW of power.

Benefits:

On completion of all the three stages this project would generate 386 mW of power and will irrigate nearly 5 lakh square hectares of land of which 4.5 lakh square hectares of land has already been irrigated by the project.

Multi-Purpose Project # 6. Kosi Project:

The project is a joint venture of Bihar and Nepal. The project covers Kosi River along Indo-Nepal border near Hanumangarh. Around Rs 110 crore has already been spent on the project.

This project is composed of following units:

(a) A 3-mile long barrage on the river Kosi along Indo-Nepal border near Hanumangarh has been constructed in the first phase.

(b) In the second phase, 240 km long embankment has been constructed on both sides of river Kosi to check flood along with other protective works.

(c) In the third phase, the project includes construction of 4 diversion channels toward four different directions, including a canal system.

Benefits:

This project is estimated to irrigate 2.34 lakh hectares of land in Bihar and Nepal and is expected to generate 20,000 kW of power. Moreover, around 20,720 sq kms of area have become flood free.

Multi-Purpose Project # 7. Rajasthan Canal Project:

Rajasthan canal project was started in 1957 with the aim to provide irrigation facilities in different dry areas of Rajasthan with an estimated expenditure of Rs 199 crore. The project envisaged the construction of a canal taking off from the Harike barrage across the river Sutlej in Punjab, the confluence of Sutlej and the Beas River. This would be the longest canal in the world having a stretch of 684 kms.

Following are the two phases of this project:

(a) Rajasthan Feeder:

It has a total length of 204 km of which 167 km lie in Punjab and Haryana and the remaining 37 km lie in Rajasthan.

(b) Rajasthan Canal:

It is having a total length of 445 km lying entirely in Rajasthan covering districts of Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Sri Ganganagar.

Benefits:

After completion, the project is expected to irrigate nearly 12.54 lakh hectare of dry patches of land lying in virgin desert of Rajasthan, which is again expected to produce around 5.7 lakh tonnes of food grains. In the mean time 5.5 lakh hectares of land has already been covered under irrigation schemes.

Multi-Purpose Project # 8. Tungabhadra Project:

The Tungabhadra Project is a joint venture of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The project is consisting of a dam of 2,441 metre long and 49.33 metre high. The project is also having left Bank canal of 227 km, stretch and Low Level Canal of 349 km, stretch and High Level Canal of 196 km, along with power houses on both sides.

Benefits:

The project has created irrigation potential for 3.51 lakh square hectares of land by the end of 1973-74 and power project with installed capacity of 99 mW.