Karnataka demands central fund of Rs 11,123 crore for six irrigation projects: D K Shivakumar

New Delhi/Bengaluru, Jul 9 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who holds the irrigation portfolio, on Wednesday said that he has appealed for funds to the tune of Rs 11,122.76 crore for six irrigation projects in the state.

Shivakumar met the Union Water Resources Minister, C R Patil, in Delhi.

In a statement, Shivakumar said he has requested funds for six irrigation projects, including Rs 804.66 crore for Sonnathi lift irrigation project, Rs 2,660.70 crore for Indi branch canal in Upper Krishna project, Rs 3,000 crore for the third stage of the Malaprabha canal, Rs 1,610 crore for flood prevention project at Benne Halla.

“We have learnt that one project has been approved, but we are yet to receive official confirmation,” Shivakumar said in the statement.

He also said that he has appealed for 25 per cent of funds for Yettinahole project as it is a drinking water project.

Shivakumar noted that there were some complications associated with the project, as the forest department was not giving clearance.

He said the Union Minister for Environment has assured him that the issue would be resolved soon.

Yettinahole project is aimed at addressing the severe drinking water shortage in drought-prone districts of Karnataka, including Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Tumkur, Hassan, Chitradurga, Ramanagar, and Bangalore Rural. It also aims to recharge the groundwater table by filling minor irrigation tanks in these areas.

The project involves diverting 24.01 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water from west-flowing streams like Yettinahole, Kadumanehole, Kerihole, and Hongadahalla in the Western Ghats.

Regarding the Upper Bhadra river project, he said, “We have asked for funds for this project too. We have submitted the revised cost estimates as asked by the Centre, and they have said the funds would be released. There is no guarantee until the funds hit the state government’s account.” Upper Bhadra Project is a major lift irrigation Scheme under implementation in the central region of Karnataka State. It envisages lifting up to 17.40 TMC of water in the first stage from Tunga to Bhadra and lifting 29.90 TMC of water in the second stage from Bhadra to the tunnel near Ajjampura, in the Tungabhadra sub-basin of Krishna basin.

It is planned to irrigate an extent of 2,25,515 hectares by micro irrigation in drought-prone districts of Chikkamagalur, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Davangere.

Karnataka has a complaint that the Centre has not released Rs 5,300 crore, though the amount was sanctioned for the state in the Union Budget three years ago. On the contentious Mekedatu balancing reservoir project across the Cauvery river at Kanakapura on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, Shivakumar said he has appealed to the union minister to give approval for its Detailed Project Report.

“The DPR is in line with the order given by the Cauvery Water Management Authority. We have told the Union minister to submit its report to the court so that the court can pass a judgment. We have also conveyed to the minister that the project benefits Tamil Nadu. He has assured us that he would speak to Tamil Nadu about this,” he added.