PM Modi's appeal on river linking should be given top priority, says TN BJP chief

Business To Business, Chennai, 30^th May, 2026:  Nainar Nagendran on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent appeal on river interlinking should be viewed as a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the country's water resources and improving long-term water security.
Nagendran said that Tamil Nadu, along with other states, should accord high priority to river interlinking projects and broader water-management reforms.
Referring to the Prime Minister's remarks, he noted that Modi had urged states to resolve inter-state water disputes through cooperation, timely approvals, and technology-driven monitoring mechanisms. He also pointed to the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project as a model for future water-sharing and river-linking initiatives.
The BJP leader argued that better coordination among states and the Centre on water-resource management could help address recurring challenges such as water scarcity, uneven rainfall distribution, droughts, and increasing demand from agriculture, industry, and urban areas.
River interlinking has long been debated in India, with supporters highlighting potential benefits for irrigation, drinking water supply, and flood management, while critics have raised concerns regarding environmental impacts, costs, and interstate water-sharing issues.