News has recently broken out that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, has given their approval to Phase II and Phase III of the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP). This ambitious project foresees a widespread overhaul of 736 existing dams distributed throughout the country. It is designed with an eye towards strengthening the recent Dam Safety Bill, 2019.
Objectives of the Project
The primary goal of the project is to enhance the safety protocols and overall performance of the selected dams, as well as associated infrastructure, in a sustainable manner. It also aims to reinforce the dam safety institutional setup across participating states and at the national level. In addition, it will also explore alternative incidental means at a few specifically chosen dams, with the intention of generating incidental revenue aimed towards ensuring sustainable operation and maintenance of these dams.
Project Budget and Sources of Finance
The total projected cost of this hefty undertaking will amount to Rs. 10,211 crore. A notable portion of this budget, Rs. 7,000 crore, is to be provided as financial assistance from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The remaining Rs. 3,211 crore will be covered by the involved implementation agencies in the states.
Implementation Period
The timetable for the project spans over a period of 10 years, starting from April 2021 and expected to conclude by March 2031. The timeline is divided into two phases, each lasting six years, with an overlapping period of two years.
Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project: A Brief History
The DRIP was initially launched back in 2012, with completion originally slated for 2018. However, in September 2018, the government gave its approval to revised cost estimates along with an extension of two years, thereby pushing the expected completion to 2020.
One of the primary objectives of this nationwide project, apart from the general goals, is to guarantee the safety of populations and properties downstream that could potentially be impacted by dam failure or operational malfunction.
At its inception, the project was undertaken for the repair and rehabilitation of dam projects across seven states in India. These include Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand. It is important to note that these seven states are also included in Phase II and Phase III of the DRIP.
Source of Information
The details provided in this article have been gathered from information released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
