MAJOR DAMS AND MULTIPURPOSE RIVER VALLEY PROJECTS OF INDIA

PRERNA FOR IAS

         Mehnat Aapki, Guidance Humari

         Roz ki Prelims Practice — Experts ke Saath

MAJOR DAMS AND MULTIPURPOSE RIVER VALLEY PROJECTS OF INDIA

1. Introduction

• Dams and multipurpose river valley projects are developed for irrigation, hydroelectricity, drinking-water supply, flood moderation, navigation, fisheries and regional development.
• NCERT describes large multipurpose projects as an important part of post-Independence water-resource planning, while also highlighting their social and environmental costs.
• Major Indian projects are located across Himalayan as well as Peninsular river systems.

2. Bhakra–Nangal Project

• The Bhakra Dam is constructed across the Satluj River in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh.
• It is a 225.55-metre-high concrete gravity dam and forms the Govind Sagar reservoir.
• The project is multipurpose, supporting irrigation and hydropower; its installed hydropower capacity is about 1,379 MW. (Bureau of Indian Standards)
• It has played a major role in expanding irrigated agriculture in north-western India.

3. Hirakud Dam Project

• Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River near Sambalpur in Odisha.
• Completed in the early post-Independence period, it is a composite earth, concrete and masonry dam.
• Its main dam is about 4.8 km long, while the dam together with adjoining dykes extends for about 25.8 km. (DRIP)
• Its principal purposes include flood control, irrigation and hydropower generation.

4. Nagarjuna Sagar Project

• Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is constructed on the Krishna River on the Telangana–Andhra Pradesh region.
• It is one of India’s major masonry-dam and irrigation projects.
• Its large canal network supports agriculture in the Krishna basin, while the project also generates hydroelectric power.
• The main dam power house has an installed capacity of about 815.6 MW, apart from canal power houses. (KRMB)

5. Sardar Sarovar Project