The main aims of the project are flood control, Promotion of irrigation, Generating Hydro-Electricity, Navigation, Afforestation, Prevents Soil erosion, Inland fishing and recreation facilities.

Its features are as follows : Damodar and its tributaries

• It comprises four Dams, three Hydel Power stations one barrage and three thermal power stations.

1. Tilaiya Dam :

• This dam has been constructed on Barakar river, a tributary of Damodar. 
• Its gross storage capacity is 395 million cubic metres. 
• Two power stations of 200 KW each have been set up here. The dam provides irrigation facilities to 40,000 hectares.

2. Konar Dam :

• It has been constructed on Konar river. 
• Its gross storage capacity is 337 million cubic metres. Its provides irrigation facilities to 1.4 Lakh hectares.

3. Marathon Dam :

• It has been constructed on Barakar river. 
• Its gross storage capacity is 1,357 million cubic metres. There are three hydro electric power units with an installed capacity of 60 MW.

4. Panchet Hill Dam :

• It has been constructed on river Damodar. 
• Its gross storage capacity is 1,497 million cubic meters.

5. Durgapur Barrage : The Network is of 2,495 km long canals. They irrigate 4.75 Lakh hectares in West Bengal.