The alignment of the ambitious Rs 5,60,000 crore (Rs 5600 billion) project to link 37 major rivers across the country will be prepared on scientific lines with the help of satellite imagery. The river linking project is expected to irrigate an additional 150 million hectares of land, besides generating 35,000 mw of electricity.

"We have decided to approach the Indian Space Research Organisation to help us in preparing the alignment. This will be the first time that sophisticated satellite imaging technology will be used to draw the feasibility report of the river-linking scheme," said Suresh Prabhu, former power minister. He is heading the task force set up to fructify the prime minister's dream project.

Prabhu said satellite imagery would not only help determine the correct alignment to minimise costs, it would also help mitigate the environmental and social impact of the project.

"We will be able to ensure that the least number of people are displaced due to the project and that the environmental damage due to construction activity is limited," Prabhu said.

The project is expected to displace nearly 450,000 people and Prabhu wants to keep that figure at the minimum. The task force has been mandated by the government to give in its detailed techno-economic feasibility report on the proposed project by the end of this year.

Prabhu, who has been given a Cabinet minister's rank, is also scouting for experts to work on a contractual basis to prepare the report.

These would be in addition to the National Water Development Agency personnel, who are already working on the project.

The government will involve the private sector and multilateral agencies to fund the project, and will consider user charges on the direct beneficiaries of the scheme that seeks to address the perennial problem of drought in some areas, even as other places suffer from floods.