RAS question
ERCP primarily aims to divert surplus water from which rivers?
Correct answer: (A) Chambal and its tributaries.
ERCP primarily aims to divert surplus monsoon water from the Chambal and its tributaries to water-deficit areas of eastern Rajasthan.
Explanation
The Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project is framed around intra-basin transfer within the Chambal Basin. Its source is surplus monsoon water from the Chambal and its tributaries, including Kunnu, Parbati and Kalisindh, for 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan. The PIB release supports the same logic: ERCP uses surplus monsoon water available in Kalisindh, Parvati, Mej and Chakan sub-basins and diverts it towards water-deficit sub-basins such as Banas, Gambhiri, Banganga and Parbati. The correct river system is therefore the Chambal system rather than a generic Rajasthan river pair: the project moves surplus monsoon flows from within that basin to deficit eastern Rajasthan.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Mahi and Sabarmati are not the source rivers for ERCP, and they point away from the Chambal-basin transfer planned for eastern Rajasthan.
- (C) Luni belongs to western Rajasthan, while ERCP is a Chambal-basin transfer meant for eastern Rajasthan.
- (D) Banas and Banganga are on the receiving, water-deficit side of the PIB description, not the surplus source rivers for ERCP.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan river systems and inter-basin water-transfer projects, especially the distinction between surplus source basins and deficit receiving basins. It recurs in RAS because ERCP links physical geography with irrigation, drinking water and regional planning in eastern Rajasthan.