Which one of the following is the first multipurpose river valley project of independent India ?

The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is the first multipurpose river valley project of independent India. It was established on July 7, 1948, following the enactment of the Damodar Valley Corporation Act (Act No. XIV of 1948) by the Central Legislature [t1, t6]. Modeled after the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) of the USA, the project was designed as a joint venture between the Central Government and the states of West Bengal and Jharkhand (formerly Bihar) [t4, t10]. Its primary objectives include flood control, irrigation, power generation, and navigation in the Damodar River basin [c3, t4]. While other major projects like Bhakra-Nangal and Hirakud were also initiated during the first Five-Year Plan, the DVC was the first to be formally constituted and operationalized in the post-independence era [t7, t9]. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Meghnad Saha played pivotal roles in conceptualizing this integrated water resource management approach [t3, t9].

Sources

1. [1] https://www.dvc.gov.in/cms-web/details-pages/13
2. [2] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 11: Irrigation in India > MINOR, MEDIUM AND MAJOR IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN INDIA > p. 367
3. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damodar_Valley_Corporation
4. [4] https://cwc.gov.in/sites/default/files/ambedkars-book_1.pdf