Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite the implementation of the Godavari – Cauvery – Gundar river linking project. He has also proposed setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) specifically for this initiative.
In a letter to Mr. Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister noted that the Godavari – Cauvery – Gundar link project stands as a crucial long-term opportunity to augment Tamil Nadu’s surface water resources. He highlighted that the project is vital for addressing the growing drinking water and irrigation demands of the people of Tamil Nadu, particularly the southern districts.
Pointing out that the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Godavari – Pennar – Palar – Vellar link as the first phase, the Chief Minister noted that this proposed alignment terminates a few kilometers short of the Cauvery River. He requested that priority instead be given to the Godavari – Cauvery – Gundar river linking project, which is of national importance.
To ensure fast-track execution, he urged the Union Government to grant the initiative ‘National Project’ status. The Chief Minister also suggested considering the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), involving participation from the Central Government and the relevant states, to complete the project within a set timeframe.
Furthermore, he requested the Prime Minister to issue appropriate directives regarding this matter to the NWDA and the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
In a separate letter to the Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, the Chief Minister flagged the arrest of 11 Indian fishermen from Ramanthapuram by the Sri Lankan Navy and sought his intervention to get them released. He also called for early revival of bilateral dialogues through Joint Working Group (JWG) to address these recurring arrests.
Published – August 07, 2026 12:02 am IST
