BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa has lashed out at the State government for the delay in implementation of irrigation projects in Shikaripur taluk.
He was speaking at a public convention held in Shikaripur town on Wednesday to mark the party’s Parivarthana Yatra.
He said the Union government has given its consent for implementation of the Tungabhadra lift irrigation project that envisages to lift water from the Tungabhadra near Puradakere village in Hirekerur taluk and fill more than 100 tanks in Hosur hobli in Shikaripur taluk. Similarly, the Union government has given approval for providing water to Anjanapura reservoir from Tunga lift irrigation project and for construction of a reservoir across the Kalvaddu rivulet. The Ministry of Water Resources has written to the State government four months ago to prepare a detailed project report on these works. It is unfortunate that the State government has failed to take action in this regard, he said. He said development works in Shivamogga district have come to a standstill after the Congress came to power in the State. He slammed the State government for the delay in completion of the work of construction of airport on the outskirts of Shivamogga city. Mr. Yeddyurappa said that the work related to Shivamogga-Shikaripur-Ranebennur railway line would commence soon. The completion of the work would ensure easy access to north Karnataka and Mumbai for the people of Malnad region. The Centre has given approval for construction of a 2.16-km-long bridge across the backwaters of the Sharavati to connect Kalasavalli and Ambaragodlu villages and the work in this regard would commence soon, he added.
K.S. Eshwarappa, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council, party leaders Govind Karjol, Basavaraj Bommai, B.Y. Raghavendra, H. Halappa, and Ayanur Manjunath were present.
Special grant
Mr. Yeddyurappa said that if the party comes to power in the State, he would get special financial grant sanctioned from the Union government for completion of works related to pending irrigation projects in the State.
“The Centre would be urged to release a special grant of ₹1 lakh crore for completion of the works related to pending irrigation projects in Karnataka, including Kalasa-Banduri. I will fall at the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to sanction the special financial grant,” he said.
