The Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948 has been enacted to provide for the establishment and regulation of a Corporation for the development of the Damodar Valley in the States of Bihar (now Jharkhand) and West Bengal.

The functions of the Corporation under the Act, inter alia, provided for the promotion and operation of schemes for irrigation, water supply and drainage, the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy, the promotion and control of navigation in the Damodar River and its tributaries and channels, a forestation and control of soil erosion, promotion of public health and the agricultural, industrial, economic and general well-being in the Damodar Valley and its area of operation.

Under the Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948, the Corporation consists of a Chairman and two members, appointed by the Central Government after consultation with the concerned State Governments.

Based on the inter-ministerial consultations, a Bill namely "the Damodar Valley Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2007" was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 4th May, 2007, and the same was referred to the Standing Committee on Energy which gave its report on the 7th September, 2007.

The said Bill, inter alia, provided that the Damodar Valley Corporation would consist of (i) a whole-time Chairman; (ii) a whole-time Member Technical; (iii) a whole time Member Finance; (iv) one representative from the Central Government, as part-time Member; (v) two representatives one each from the State Governments of Jharkhand and West Bengal, as part-time Members; (vi) three independent experts one each from the field of irrigation, water supply and generation or transmission of electricity as part-time Members.


Damodar Valley Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2011