Question

Which was the first multipurpose project in India after Independence?
1. Bhakra Nangal Project
2. Damodar Valley Project
3. Kosi Project
4. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: A multipurpose project is that which serves various purposes simultaneously. A dam built across a river often is termed as a multipurpose project because it serves more than one purpose at a time. In the first multipurpose project, the first dam was built across the Barakar River in 1953 and the second across the Konar River in 1955.

Complete answer:
1. Bhakra Nangal Project: The construction of the multipurpose dam was initially started in 1948 by Sir Louis Dane, the then Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. It got delayed and it was resumed after independence and was completed in 1963. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
2.The Damodar River is a tributary of the Hugli River which flows through Jharkhand and West Bengal. It emerges from the Khamarpat hills in Chhota Nagpur plateau of Bihar.
The Damodar River was termed as River of Sorrow or Sorrow of Bengal because it causes devastating floods in West Bengal.
The Damodar Valley Project is the first Multipurpose River Valley Development Project in Eastern India after independence. The Damodar Valley Corporation (D.V.C.) came into existence on 7 July 1948 and has been generating and transmitting power since 1953.
The Damodar Valley Multipurpose Project scheme was formulated to prevent floods and to supply hydro-electric power to Bihar and West Bengal. It also aimed to provide a canal for navigation and to supply water for irrigation.

The main objectives of the project are:
> Flood control
> Provides with irrigation facility
> Generation, transmission and distribution of hydel power
> Promotion and control of navigation
> Promotion of afforestation
> Controlling of soil erosion
> Promotion of agricultural and industrial development of the valley
3. Kosi Project: To protect the neighbouring areas from getting flooded by the Kosi river, a barrage was built in 1954 at Virpur and embankments were constructed along the river’s eastern and western banks. This was called the Kosi Project. It is also an incorrect option, as it was built after The Damodar Valley Project.
4. None of these: This option is not correct either, as one of the given options is the correct answer.

The answer is 2. Damodar Valley Project

Note:
The original plan was to construct seven major dams. These dams were to be:
> Aiyar and Panchet dams on the Damodar River
> Maithon, Belpahari and Tilaiya dams on the Barakar River
> Konar dam on the Konar River
> Bokaro dam on the Bokaro River.
But the Damodar Valley Construction has constructed only four dams (Tilaiya, Maithon, Konar and Panchet Hill).