Question

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of multipurpose river valley projects.

Answer 1

Hint: A multipurpose project is one that serves many objectives simultaneously. A dam constructed across a river sometimes serves more than one purpose at a time and is known as a multipurpose project.

Complete answer:
Multipurpose river valley projects are essentially planned by the building of dams for the production of irrigation for agriculture and electricity.

There are several advantages and disadvantages of river projects .

1.Irrigation :
Advantage : These projects will stimulate agricultural productivity in order to meet the increasing food and raw material requirements needed to increase non-farm activities.
Disadvantage : Irrigation benefits resulting from multi-purpose projects have been claimed to be overestimated because the real area irrigated by these projects is much less due to delays in constructing field channels and water routes.

2. Flood control :
Advantage : Another significant aim of such ventures is to monitor the occurrence of floods that cause economic havoc.
Disadvantage : As the embankments, drainage channels and flood management schemes have failed miserably to produce results, the multi-purpose projects have also failed to reap full benefit in terms of flood control.

3. Hydropower :
Advantage : Multi-purpose projects lead to the production of hydro-electricity on a large scale, which is very important for industrial growth.
Disadvantage : Although hydropower has the benefit of low operating costs, renewable and eco-friendly sources, but at the same time it is also subject to a long gestation period, the project is delayed in commissioning, resulting in project cost escalation and higher initial cos

Note: The first project of its kind in India was the multipurpose Hirakud Dam project for flood control, irrigation, and power generation and was modelled on the Tennessee Valley Authority in the United States.The dam was completed in 1957 and the Hirakud Dam became the world's longest dam on Earth.