The State Government will be finalising all the irrigation projects to be taken up under the Prime Minister’s Vidarbha package and sending it to the Centre within a week’s time.

Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet committee reviewed the proposals under the  package, Public Works Minister H D Revanna said 10 proposals out of total 16 had been  already sent and the remaining would be sent within a week.

The State Government had earmarked Rs 870 crore for the package amounting to Rs 4,165 crore in three years.

More funds

Of this total amount the Centre would provide Rs 1,208 crore, he pointed out. The State was also contemplating to seek more funds from the Centre, he added.

He said the ministers and officials of six districts, covered under the package will review the progress on a monthly-basis. The districts covered under the package include Belgaum, Shimoga, Chitradurga, Kodagu, Hassan and Chikmagalur.

Some of the irrigation projects under the scheme include Bhadra modernisation, Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Ippari and Hemavathi.

Mr Revanna said he had requested Nabard to increase its funding in view of implementation of the package.
Other proposals in the package include Rs 432 crore for minor irrigation, Rs 180 crore for watershed development and Rs 178 crore for seed subsidy.

Mr Revanna said, unless the Centre framed a permanent policy for farmers no package would help them. The Centre’s role in safeguarding the interests of the farmers was paramount when compared to the states’ role, he felt.