✎ Ken-Betwa Link Project involves tribal rehabilitation under FRA 2006, monitored by Tribal Affairs Ministry and state governments with ongoing grievance redressal.

Relevance for Banking, SSC & RBI Grade B exams: Polity & Governance

The Ken-Betwa Link Project, a river interlinking initiative under the National Perspective Plan, aims to address water scarcity in drought-prone regions by transferring surplus water from the Ken River to the Betwa River basin. The project, implemented by the Ken-Betwa Link Authority under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, will submerge significant forest and agricultural land, displacing thousands of families, including 648 Scheduled Tribe (ST) households comprising 8,339 individuals in Phase-I alone. The Tribal Affairs Ministry, as a member of the project’s monitoring committees, ensures compliance with rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) plans for affected tribal communities under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. While the Ministry has not received complaints about fund disbursement delays, it has forwarded grievances regarding displacement to the Madhya Pradesh government for redressal, as FRA implementation falls under state jurisdiction. The Ministry has also emphasized that no tribal should be evicted from forest land until their rights are recognized and verified, aligning with Section 4(5) of the FRA.

For banking and SSC aspirants, this issue highlights the intersection of governance, environmental policy, and socio-economic welfare, which is crucial for understanding rural development and welfare schemes. The Ken-Betwa project underscores challenges in balancing infrastructure development with tribal rights, a recurring theme in governance exams. RBI Grade B candidates should note how such projects impact fiscal policies, resource allocation, and compliance with environmental regulations, reflecting broader themes of sustainable development and inter-state cooperation. The project’s R&R framework also ties into banking exams, where questions on government schemes, land acquisition laws, and tribal welfare policies are common.

Source: PIB (Press Information Bureau)

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