Union Jalshakti minister has assured clearances for Mekedatu project: Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa

Union Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat has assured to see through clearances for all pending water projects in Karnataka, including the Mekedatu Balancing reservoir project, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said Tuesday.

Speaking to mediapersons here after a meeting with the union minister who was in the city on Tuesday, Yediyurappa said the Karnataka government had impressed upon Shekawat to make way for pending environmental clearance for the Mekedatu project. That apart, the government also spoke about the pending Krishna Tribunal Award gazette notification along with required permissions from the Centre for Kalasa Banduri, Upper Bhadra and Yettinahole projects. "He has assured to help us with all the clearances," Yediyurappa said.

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State government officials also briefed the union minister on the progress of Jal Jeevan Mission. The state has been unable to meet the target set under the project for tap water connections to households in rural Karnataka. "We will make efforts to provide an additional 25 lakh tap connections at the earliest," the Chief Minister told mediapersons.

In the Jal Jeevan Mission review meeting, Shekawat asked Karnataka to ensure that the project was implemented in a time bound manner. He advised the state to prioritise the aspirational districts (as identified by NITI Ayog) Yadgir and Raichur and provide tap water connections here at the earliest, an official release stated.

Karnataka aims to provide 91.19 lakh tap water connections. In the current fiscal, the government hopes to provide 25.17 lakh connections, followed by 27.15 lakh in 2022-23 and the remaining 10.72 lakh by December 2023.