🏗️ Indian Geography — Chapter 06

Multipurpose Projects  |  BPSC / BSSC Exam Preparation  |  Exam Fusion Prep
📌 Introduction
🕌 "Temple of Modern India" — Jawaharlal Nehru
Objectives of Multipurpose Projects:
Irrigation
Hydroelectric Power
Flood Control
Afforestation
Soil Conservation
Tourism
Drinking Water
Navigation
🏆 Key Superlatives — Dam & Project Records
Superlative Name State / River
India's Largest Dam (height) Tehri Dam Uttarakhand — Bhagirathi River
Largest Dam by Volume Indira Sagar Dam MP — Narmada River (Sardar Sarovar Reservoir)
World's Largest Gravity Dam Bhakra Dam HP — Satluj River (H: 226m, L: 518m)
India's First Multipurpose Project Damodar Valley Project Jharkhand + WB — 1948
India's Largest Artificial Lake Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar UP — Rihand River
Longest Canal in India Indira Gandhi Canal Rajasthan — 649 km
Highest Discharge Capacity (World) Polavaram Project AP — Godavari River
First Dam of Uttarakhand Song Dam Uttarakhand — Song River
⚡ QUICK RECALL — Nehru Quotes
Nehru called Multipurpose Projects: "Temple of Modern India" | Damodar Valley Project modeled on USA's Tennessee Valley Project
🚨 EXAM TRAP
🏆 9 Major Multipurpose Projects
1️⃣ Bhakra Nangal Project — Satluj River
  • River: Satluj River
  • Joint venture: Punjab + Haryana + Rajasthan
  • Bhakra → Himachal Pradesh | Nangal → Punjab
  • Govind Sagar Lake (artificial) → constructed 1962
  • World's largest gravity dam — Height: 226 m, Length: 518 m
2️⃣ Beas Project — Beas + Satluj
  • At confluence of Beas + Satluj
  • Beneficiaries: Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, HP
  • Pong Dam → Dhauladhar Hills, Beas River
⚡ Indira Gandhi Canal
Length: 649 km | Origin: Harike Barrage (Sutlej + Beas confluence) | India's longest canal | Brings water to arid Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab
3️⃣ Damodar Valley Project — India's FIRST (1948)
  • River: Damodar River
  • States: Jharkhand + West Bengal
  • India's first multipurpose river valley project — 1948
  • Modeled on USA's Tennessee Valley Project
  • Thermal Plants: Bokaro, Durgapur, Chandrapura, Patratu
  • 8 dams built on Damodar and tributaries
Major Dams (Jharkhand):
Dam River
Maithon Dam Barakar River
Telaiya Dam Barakar River
Panchet Dam Damodar River
Konar Dam Konar River
4️⃣ Rihand Dam — UP
  • River: Rihand River
  • Largest project of UP
  • Reservoir: Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar (India's largest artificial lake)
  • Power: 300 MW
5️⃣ Pancheshwar Project — Indo-Nepal
  • River: Kali River
  • Indo-Nepal joint project
  • Benefits: Bihar, UP, Uttarakhand
  • Objectives: Electricity, irrigation, flood control
6️⃣ Koyna Project — Maharashtra
  • River: Koyna River
  • District: Satara, Maharashtra
  • Hydroelectric project — 1962-63
  • Underground power house
7️⃣ Baglihar Project — J&K
  • River: Chenab River
  • State: Jammu & Kashmir
  • Power: 900 MW
8️⃣ Mayurakshi Project — JH + WB
  • River: Mayurakshi River
  • Also known as Canada Dam
  • Joint: Jharkhand + West Bengal
  • Hydroelectric + Irrigation
9️⃣ Sardar Sarovar — Narmada
  • River: Narmada River
  • States: Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan
  • Reservoir: Indira Sagar Dam — India's largest dam by volume
🚨 EXAM TRAP
🏔️ North India — State-wise Projects
Himachal Pradesh
Project River
Nathpa Jhakri Satluj River
Koldam Satluj River
Chamera Dam Ravi River
Bhakra Dam Satluj River (Govind Sagar lake)
Jammu & Kashmir
Project River
Pakal Dul Dam Marusudar River
Tulbul Project Jhelum River
Kishanganga Project Jhelum River
Dulhasti Project Chenab River
Salal Project Chenab River
Baglihar Project Chenab River (900 MW)
Uttarakhand
Project River Note
Tehri Dam Bhagirathi River India's largest dam
Song Dam Song River First dam of Uttarakhand
Ramganga Project Ramganga River —
Haryana & Punjab
Project River State
Sirhind Canal Satluj Haryana
Western Yamuna Canal Yamuna Haryana
Ranjit Sagar Dam Ravi River Punjab
Uttar Pradesh
Project River Note
Rihand Dam Rihand River Largest in UP; GB Pant Sagar
Matatila Dam Betwa River —
Sharda Project Ghaghara-Sharda —
Rajasthan
Project River Note
Chambal Project Chambal Joint with MP
Rana Pratap Sagar Chambal —
Jawahar Sagar Chambal —
Indira Gandhi Canal Satluj+Beas 649 km — longest canal
🚨 EXAM TRAP
🌴 South India — State-wise Projects
Karnataka
Project River
Tungabhadra Project Tungabhadra River
Krishna Sagar Project Kaveri River
Malaprabha Project Malaprabha River
Ghataprabha Project Ghataprabha River
Hidkal Project Ghataprabha River
Bhadra Project Bhadra River
Sharavathi Project Sharavathi River
Shivanasamudra Project Kaveri River
Almatti Dam Krishna River
Linganamakki Dam Sharavathi River
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
Project River Note
Nagarjuna Sagar Krishna River AP + Telangana border
Polavaram Project Godavari River Highest discharge in world
Pochampad / Sriram Sagar Godavari River Telangana
Somasila Dam Pennar River AP
Tamil Nadu
Project River
Mettur Dam Kaveri River
Kundah Project Kundah River
Stanley Reservoir Kaveri River
Kerala & Maharashtra
Project River State
Mullaperiyar Dam Periyar River Kerala (Idukki)
Koyna Project Koyna River MH (Satara) — 1962-63
Jayakwadi Project Godavari River MH
Bhima Project Bhima River MH
Purna Project Purna River MH
Girna Project Girna River MH
Gujarat
Project River
Sardar Sarovar Narmada River
Kakrapar Tapi River
Ukai Project Tapi River
Mahi Project Mahi River
Kadana Dam Mahi River
Dantiwada Dam Banas River
Odisha & West Bengal
Project River State
Hirakud Dam Mahanadi Odisha
Indravati Dam Indravati River Odisha
Farakka Project Ganga, Bhagirathi West Bengal
🚨 EXAM TRAP
🌿 East & Central India — State-wise Projects
Jharkhand — Joint Projects
Project River Note
Tilaiya Project Barakar River —
Maithon Dam Barakar River DVC (JH)
Telaiya Dam Barakar River DVC (JH)
Konar Dam Konar River DVC (JH)
Panchet Dam Damodar River Joint JH + WB
Durgapur Barrage Damodar River Joint JH + WB
Mayurakshi (Canada Dam) Mayurakshi River Joint JH + WB
Madhya Pradesh
Project River
Bansagar Project Son River
Tawa Project Tawa River
Bargi Project Narmada River
Gandhi Sagar (Ganga Sagar) Chambal River
Narmada Sagar Narmada River
Omkareshwar Project Narmada River
Indira Sagar Dam Narmada River
⚡ Narmada Projects in MP
Bargi → Narmada Sagar → Indira Sagar → Omkareshwar (W to E)
🗺️ Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) — Complete Picture
  • India's first multipurpose project — 1948
  • Modeled on Tennessee Valley Authority (USA)
  • Benefits: Jharkhand + West Bengal
  • Thermal Plants: Bokaro, Durgapur, Chandrapura, Patratu
Dams in Jharkhand (DVC):
Maithon (Barakar)
Telaiya (Barakar)
Tilaiya (Barakar)
Konar (Konar)
Panchet (Damodar)
Joint JH + WB:
Panchet Dam
Durgapur Barrage
Mayurakshi (Canada Dam)
🚨 EXAM TRAP
📍 Bihar Special — Multipurpose Projects
😢 Kosi Project — Flood Control
  • River: Kosi River
  • State: Bihar
  • Objective: Flood control (Kosi = Sorrow of Bihar)
  • Embankments + Barrages built to control devastating floods
🤝 Gandak River Project — Indo-Nepal Joint
  • River: Gandak River
  • Joint Indo-Nepal project
  • Benefits: Bihar + UP
  • Gandak meets Ganga at Hajipur, Bihar
  • Provides irrigation water to large parts of North Bihar
🤝 Pancheshwar Project — Benefits Bihar
  • River: Kali River
  • Indo-Nepal joint project
  • Benefits: Bihar, UP, Uttarakhand
  • Objectives: electricity, irrigation, flood control in Bihar
🏗️ Son River Projects — Bihar Connection
  • Bansagar Dam → Son River (MP) → supplies water to Bihar also
  • Son meets Ganga at Patna (right bank)
  • Son Canal System — major irrigation in Bihar
  • Son tributaries: Koel, Rihand (Jharkhand se aate hain)
🌊 Farakka Barrage — Impact on Bihar
  • Location: West Bengal — Ganga + Bhagirathi River
  • Purpose: Maintain navigability of Kolkata port, divert water to Bhagirathi
  • Bihar impact: Backwater effect → increased flooding in South Bihar (Patna, Bhojpur area)
  • Long-standing dispute between Bihar and WB over Farakka flooding
⚡ DVC — Jharkhand-Bihar Region
  • Damodar Valley project → Jharkhand + WB
  • Thermal plants: Bokaro (JH), Patratu (JH) — near Bihar border
  • DVC power supplied to parts of Bihar also
  • Chotanagpur Plateau area (JH) = coal belt → thermal power
⚡ BPSC MASTER RECALL — Projects related to Bihar
🚨 BPSC EXAM TRAP — Bihar Projects
Exam Fusion Prep | examfusionprep.com  ·  Multipurpose Projects  ·  BPSC / BSSC
© ExamFusion Prep. All Rights Reserved.