A view of the newly-inaugurated phase one of the Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project' at Hebbanahalli, in Hassan district
Credit: PTI photo
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured on Thursday that the long-pending Yettinahole project would be completed in two years, adding that drinking water would be provided to the concerned districts.
Speaking to reporters after a special Cabinet meeting at the Nandi Hills, Chief Minister Siddarmaiah said: “In two years, the project will be completed and drinking water will be provided. Already, head work worth Rs 4,200 crore is over. Gravity main canal work is also over.
"Around 85 per cent work has been completed at a cost of Rs 9,807 crore. Feeders are being provided to Madhugiri, Pavagada, GG Halli, Ramanagara, Gauribidanur, Koratagere and so on. 96 per cent of the work is over.”
Siddaramaiah explained that he held a meeting recently with his deputy DK Shivakumar, Home Minister G Parameshwara, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna and others, where they discussed about the Yettinahole issue.
“In the revised estimate of Rs 23,251 crore, Rs 17,147 crore has been spent. Rs 6,103 crore remains to be spent. We will need another Rs 1,900 crore. This has increased because of land acquisition.”
Siddaramaiah explained that the primary intention of the Yettinahole project was to provide drinking water to the dependent districts, adding that lakes would also be filled as a secondary measure.
The Yettinahole project aims to draw 24 tmcft of water from River Yettinahole in Sakleshpur taluk in Hassan district to meet the drinking water demands of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Hassan, Bengaluru North (Bengaluru Rural) and some parts of Bangalore Urban districts.
The project was first conceived in 1972. When it was approved in 2012, it was estimated to cost Rs 8,323 crore. In 2014, the cost was revised to Rs 12,912.36 crore. Now, the project is pegged at Rs 23,251 crore.
Other decisions
The Cabinet decided to build residential schools for the children of labourers in each of the 31 districts in the state. This initiative, which will be carried out by the Labour Department, will cost Rs 1,125.25 crore.
“The schools need not necessarily be built in the district headquarters. They will be constructed wherever there are more labourers,” Siddaramaiah said.
The Cabinet decided to build Community Health Centres (CHCs) in newly formed taluks without Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
To provide training for competitive examinations to students from backward classes, two residential homes to be built in Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 10 crore.
DCM DK Shivakumar announced that 16th-century chieftain Kempegowda’s fort in Magadi taluk, Bengaluru South district, would be revamped at a cost of Rs 103 crore.