Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil has said that work on the Upper Bhadra project was on in full swing and would be completed by the next kharif season.
He was speaking after laying foundation stone for the Rajanhalli Lift Irrigation project to supply water to small and medium tanks in the surrounding areas of Bharamsagar hobli here on Saturday.
Mr. Patil said there were plans to complete the work by December this year, but the tunnel work near Ajjampur had delayed owing to technical reasons. “Of the total 7 km tunnel work, the authorities have completed work on 6.2 km. The rest would be completed by the next kharif season,” he said.
The State government had plans to spend ₹50,000 crore for irrigation projects in the State in a span of five years. Of this, the government has already spent ₹42,000 crore. The remaining funds would be utilised by coming March to complete pending irrigation projects. “The government requires ₹1 lakh crore to complete all irrigation projects in the State, including the Upper Bhadra and Yattinahole projects,” he said.
In Chitradurga taluk, tanks in Bharamsagar and Yammihatti will be supplied water through a lift irrigation project worth ₹14 crore. The tender process for the same has already been completed and work would be finished in the next 11 months. There are plans to fill other tanks in Chitradurga taluk and Jagalur taluk by utilising 1 tmcft of water. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will make an official announcement on the project by the end of September, Mr. Patil said.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Minor Irrigation Minister T.B. Jayachandra said that central Karnataka districts such as Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Kolar and Chickballapur have been facing drought for more than 12 years. The lift irrigation projects launched in the region would play a crucial role in solving the water problem, he said.
