Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation M.B. Patil has urged Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat to approve irrigation projects for which the State government had presented proposals and release funds for implementing them.
In a press release, Mr. Patil said he met Mr. Rawat in New Delhi on Thursday accompanied by Railway Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas M. Veerappa Moily, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Oscar Fernandes and Union Minister of State for MSME K.H. Muniyappa and presented a memorandum.
Three projects — Narayanpur left bank canal modernisation under the Upper Krishna Project (Rs. 4,103.5 crore), Upper Thunga Project (Rs. 2.477.18 crore) and Sonthi lift irrigation project (Rs. 502.5 crore) — were pending with the Water Resources Ministry.
Five projects — Vijayanagara canal modernisation (Rs. 255 crore), Thunga anicut canal modernisation (Rs. 309 crore), Gondi anicut canal modernisation (Rs. 82 crore), Bhadra canals modernisation project (with a revised estimate of Rs. 1,200 crore) and Shiggaon lift irrigation project report (Rs. 468.18 crore) — were pending approval of the Directorate of Water Resources.
Mr. Rawat was urged to release Rs. 393.61 crore for the Sri Rameshwara lift irrigation project, Bhima lift irrigation project, Guddada Mallapura lift irrigation project, Varahi project, Karanja project and Upper Mullamari Project. The leaders also urged the Union Minister to release funds for the catchment area development works to help farmers who were suffering due to salinity.
Mr. Patil said Mr. Rawat promised that the Union government would consider the request and release funds at the earliest.
