<p>Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has set a July deadline for the completion of the first phase of the much-delayed Yettinahole project.</p>.<p>In a review meeting on Upper Bhadra and Yettinahole projects here on Tuesday, Yediyurappa directed the officials concerned to ensure that water is released to the Vedavathi valley in the first phase by end of July.</p>.<p>The Yettinahole project envisages providing drinking water to about 68 lakh people in 6,557 villages across Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts.</p>.<p>Until now, about Rs 9,000 crore has been spent on Yettinahole project. The government has allocated Rs 1,500 crore for the project under this year's budget.</p>.<p>The government has also urged the Centre to declare Upper Bhadra as a national project. The approval is pending from the cabinet and is expected soon, Yediyurappa said.</p>.<p>The Upper Bhadra lift irrigation project will benefit Tumakuru, Chitradurga and Davangere. Yediyurappa has directed the officials to expedite the works of the project and warned of stringent action in case of discrepancy in execution of works.</p>.<p>In the last two years, about Rs 2,300 crore has been spent on the project, an official statement from the chief minister's office said. </p>
<p>Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has set a July deadline for the completion of the first phase of the much-delayed Yettinahole project.</p>.<p>In a review meeting on Upper Bhadra and Yettinahole projects here on Tuesday, Yediyurappa directed the officials concerned to ensure that water is released to the Vedavathi valley in the first phase by end of July.</p>.<p>The Yettinahole project envisages providing drinking water to about 68 lakh people in 6,557 villages across Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts.</p>.<p>Until now, about Rs 9,000 crore has been spent on Yettinahole project. The government has allocated Rs 1,500 crore for the project under this year's budget.</p>.<p>The government has also urged the Centre to declare Upper Bhadra as a national project. The approval is pending from the cabinet and is expected soon, Yediyurappa said.</p>.<p>The Upper Bhadra lift irrigation project will benefit Tumakuru, Chitradurga and Davangere. Yediyurappa has directed the officials to expedite the works of the project and warned of stringent action in case of discrepancy in execution of works.</p>.<p>In the last two years, about Rs 2,300 crore has been spent on the project, an official statement from the chief minister's office said. </p>
