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Question 89 of 131 · Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India
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Railway

Jawaharlal Nehru described large dams and multipurpose river projects as the:

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Answer: Option A — Temples of modern India

Detailed Solution

Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, called large dams and multipurpose river valley projects the "temples of modern India", because he saw them as symbols of progress, self-reliance and scientific development.

The famous statement:

Nehru used this phrase while dedicating the Bhakra-Nangal project in 1954 and the Bhakra Dam in 1963. He said that such projects were "the new temples of resurgent India", where people would worship progress.

Multipurpose river valley projects:

They are designed to serve several purposes together:

  • Irrigation for agriculture.
  • Hydroelectric power generation.
  • Flood control.
  • Water supply for drinking and industry.
  • Inland navigation and fisheries.
  • Recreation and tourism.
  • Early projects after independence included the Damodar Valley Project, Bhakra-Nangal, Hirakud, Nagarjuna Sagar, Rihand and Chambal Valley projects.

Contribution:

  • These projects greatly increased irrigation, which helped India achieve food security.
  • They supplied power for industries and cities.
  • They reduced floods in many areas.

Criticism and changing views:

  • Large dams displaced millions of people, many of them tribal communities, often without proper rehabilitation.
  • They submerged forests and fertile land, and affected river ecosystems, fish migration and downstream areas.
  • Siltation reduces the life of reservoirs.
  • They can increase the risk of earthquakes and of disasters if they fail.
  • Movements such as the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the protests against the Tehri Dam highlighted these issues.

Nehru's later view:

In 1958, Nehru himself warned about "the disease of gigantism" and suggested that small projects for irrigation and local development may sometimes be better.

Present approach:

Today, more emphasis is placed on environmental impact assessments, rehabilitation of displaced people, watershed management, small check dams and rainwater harvesting along with large projects.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗"Lifelines of the nation", "pillars of democracy" and "gateways of progress" were not the phrases Nehru used for dams.

Quick tip

Remember: Nehru called dams the "temples of modern India" (Bhakra-Nangal); later he warned against "gigantism".

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Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India's drainage system: the Himalayan rivers (the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems), the peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi and Mahanadi), their tributaries and origins, waterfalls, lakes, and the major dams and multipurpose river projects. Exams ask about the origin of a river, its tributaries, the cities on its banks, and the river on which a dam is built. For example, the Bhakra Nangal Dam is on the Sutlej, the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi, and the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada. Remember that the Narmada and Tapi flow west into the Arabian Sea, while most peninsular rivers flow east. Practise the rivers, lakes and dams of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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