Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that steps had already been taken to declare the Upper Bhadra project as a national project and the Union Cabinet would give its consent to it in May. Once declared as a national project, ₹16,000 crore would be made available for the project, he said.
He was addressing a public gathering at Jagalur in Davangere district after initiating work on 19 projects worth ₹1,383.10 crore related to the Upper Bhadra project, including filling of village tanks and irrigating 18,000 hectares, and inaugurating 18 works worth ₹21.05 crore on Friday.
Mr. Bommai said that through the Upper Bhadra project, the barren land of Jagalur taluk would be converted into a water-rich land. Nearly 40,000 acres of farmland in the taluk was being irrigated through drip irrigation and nine tanks were being filled. The works related to filling 57 tanks in Jagalur taluk had been completed and the tanks would filled in June or July, he said.
He said that the erstwhile B.S. Yediyurappa-led BJP Government had initiated works under the Upper Bhadra project in the drought-prone taluk of Jagalur and now the irrigation project would help increase farm activities in the region.
Mr. Bommai said that over ₹20,000 crore had been allocated to the irrigation project in the current Budget and this apart focus was on education, health, and industries.
The Chief Minister then listed out various schemes and welfare measures taken up by his Government, including the reintroduction of Yashaswini scheme, diesel subsidy for farmers, and setting up of Nandini Krishi Abhivruddhi Bnak.
Minister for Transport B. Sriramulu said the Government had given emphasis to farmers’ development and tank development. The Upper Bhadra project which would change the future of Jagaluru had materialised now, he said.
Minister for Water Resources Govind Karjol said that efforts were being made to supply water to the tail-end farmers so that they could irrigate their land and also for drinking water. The farmers also should also make economical use of water and adopt new technologies, he said.
Mr. Yediyurappa listed out the development measures of the BJP Government. MP G.M. Siddheshwar, MLA and chairman of Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation S.V. Ramachandra, and Ministers B.A. Basavaraj and Murugesh Nirani spoke. A host of political leaders and government officials were present.
