Ministers Dr H C Mahadevappa, K J George in serious argument over Ganga Kalyana; CM Siddaramaiah intervenes

Bengaluru: Senior ministers Dr HC Mahadevappa and KJ George are said to have had a serious argument during the Cabinet meeting on Thursday regarding implementing the Ganga Kalyana Scheme of the state government.

A minister told DH that George (Energy minister) and Mahadevappa (Social Welfare Department Minister) disagreed regarding the role of their respective departments in implementing the Ganga Kalyana Scheme that provides irrigation facilities through borewells, pumps and so on to people of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes (OBC) and the minority communities.

“During the discussion, George said that his department will give the power connection if the SWD arranged the motor and pipeline. To this, Mahadevappa argued that the energy department should provide electricity as well as motor. Both of them stuck to their positions," the minister quoted above said.

Finally, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is said to have intervened and stopped the argument.

The Cabinet decided to extend the term of the contractors empanelled in 2023 to dig borewells and provide pumpsets to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates selected under the Ganga Kalyana scheme till July 2027.