State to spend over Rs 100 crore for improving water table

Karkala (Karnataka), Apr 9 (UNI) The state government will spend over Rs 100 crore during 2007-08 to rejuvenate all the existing tanks in the state, water Resources Minister Mr K S Eshwarappa informed here.

Speaking to newspersons here yesterday, Mr Eshwarappa said the state government had sanctioned Rs 86 crore to develop 156 tanks in Bijapur district and work has already started. The government would also take measures to desilt all the tanks, construct vented dams and check-dams to improve the water level.

The minister said this year the work on rejuvenation of tanks would be taken in Davanagere district and already the survey has been commenced for the purpose.

He said the state government had also completed 27 major irrigation projects among the total 39 pending projects in the state and the work on the remaining projects were on. The government had also contemplated the work of rejuvenation of over 53 tanks in the Cauvery Basin Area.

Later, the minister launched the 'Suvarna Gramodaya Yojana' in Mudaru village in Karkala taluk. He said the Finance Ministry had made an additional budgetary provision of Rs 413 crore for the Irrigation Department for this year.

UNI