World Bank approves INR 11,000 crore for improving safety of hydro power dams
Economic Times reported that World Bank has accepted a proposal to provide INR 11,000 crore to India to improve safety and operational performance of its 733 large dams across 18 states over the next 10 years. The money will be utilised under the ongoing Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme for its subsequent phases beginning 2020. Besides operation, maintenance and emergency action plans, the programme will also focus on revenue generation at dams through tourism, fisheries, water recreations and solar and hydro power.
Mr S Masood Husain, chairman of the Central Water Commission told that "The World Bank's country director confirmed the acceptance of the proposal to provide Rs 11,000 crore to rehabilitate over 700 dams during Phase-II & III of the DRIP while speaking at the International Dam Safety Conference, concluded in Bhubaneswar on Thursday, the World Bank has found India's work under ongoing DRIP "satisfactory".
India has currently 5,264 operational large dams, but 80% of them are over 25 years old and in need of maintenance and safety upgradation. As many as 213 large dams in India are over 100 years old.
Keeping past dam disasters in mind, the government had in 2012 launched DRIP aimed at improving safety and operational standards of 198 large dams in seven states - Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu - by June next year.
The major dams which are to be covered under Phase-II & III of the DRIP include Bhakra dam (Himachal Pradesh), Srisailam (Telangana), Koyna and Jayakwadi (Maharashtra), Matatila, Ramganga and Raj Ghat (UP), Pong dam (HP), Ukai (Gujarat), Rana Pratap Sagar and Mahi (Rajasthan), Hirakud and Rengali (Odisha) and Umiam (Meghalaya) .
Source : Economic Times