Borewells with solar-powered pumpsets for dalits

As many as 1,825 borewells with solar-powered pumpsets would be provided to dalits across the State, Minor Irrigation Minister Shivaraj Thangadagi said on Wednesday.
As many as 1,000 borewells will be drilled in the north Karnataka region and the rest in south Karnataka.

The cost of each borewell-cum-solar- powered pumpset ranged between Rs 7.6 lakh and Rs 5.6 lakh, depending on the region.

Thangadagi said the jurisdictional MLAs will decide on the beneficiaries. Some districts such as Kolar, Bangalore (Urban), Bangalore (Rural), Chikkaballapur – where the groundwater has depleted – have been kept out of the scheme, he said.

The minister said checkdams would be constructed in all the districts of the State in the next five years in a bid to raise the groundwater levels. To start with, the project would be taken up in five districts - Bijapur, Gadag, Koppal, Kolar and Chikkaballapur.