Rs 5,300 cr drought aid to poll-bound Karnataka; CM Bommai cheers

Rs 5,300 crore has been announced for the Upper Bhadra Project, which is a major irrigation project from Karnataka and has a status of national project.

Bengaluru, Feb 01: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the Centre would provide Rs 5,300 crore assistance for the Upper Bhadra project in Karnataka, an announcement cheered by the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Several BJP leaders, including National General Secretary C T Ravi and state party chief Nalin Kumar Kateel praised the budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha, calling it "farsighted and pro poor".

"Rs 5,300 crore has been announced for the Upper Bhadra Project, which is a major irrigation project from Karnataka and has a status of national project. I welcome this, as the project is important, aimed at providing irrigation and drinking water to vast areas of drought affected central districts of the state," Bommai told news agency PTI.

Speaking to reporters in Haveri, he said this is the first project with a status 'national project' in the state, and large funding to it has made us happy.

"Earlier too funds had come to this project under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP), now as it is a national project, such a large fund is coming," he added.

In her budget speech, Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, said: "In the drought prone central regions of Karnataka, a central assistance of Rs 5,300 crore will be given for the Upper Bhadra Project."

Welcoming the announcement, Health Minister K Sudhakar said: "This will immensely benefit the people of Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Davangere districts by providing irrigation facility to farmers and recharging the groundwater table to provide drinking water in drought-prone taluks of these districts".

Upper Bhadra Project is a major lift irrigation Scheme under implementation in the central region of Karnataka State. It envisages lifting upto 17.40 TMC of water in first stage from Tunga to Bhadra and lifting 29.90 TMC of water in second stage from Bhadra to Tunnel near Ajjampura, in Tungabhadra sub-basin of Krishna basin.

It is planned to irrigate an extent of 2,25,515 hectares by micro irrigation in drought-prone districts of Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Davangere.

The primary objective of the project is providing a sustainable irrigation facility in kharif season and the other objective of the project is to recharge the groundwater table and provide drinking water by filling 367 tanks to their 50 per cent capacity in drought-prone taluks of the above said districts.

The Government of Karnataka has accorded administrative approval to the re-revised DPR amounting to Rs 21,473.67 Cr (at 2018-19 price level) dated December 16, 2020. Upper Bhadra Project has been taken up in 2 Stages and the works under these two stages are under progress.

Praising the Union Budget, Karnataka BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel said, it has several programmes for the all round development of Karnataka and the country.

Pointing to the Finance Minister announcing hike in the capital expenditure by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore for infrastructure development, he said, this will also help in generating more jobs.

Kateel, who is also an MP, while raising several schemes and programmes proposed in the budget including Rs 5,300 crore grant announced for the Upper Bhadra Project, complimented PM Narendra Modi and Sitharaman for the same.

"Despite COVID, India by continuing to emerge as a fastest growing economy has garnered global attention," he said, as he highlighted the impetus given to development of Railways, agriculture, startups, tourism among other sectors, and praised the tax rebate announced in the budget as it is likely to benefit the middle class.

BJP strong man and former CM B S Yediyurappa said, the "Amrit Kaal Budget" presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is futuristic and provides a clear roadmap to drive India's growth towards USD 5 trillion economy by 2025.

"The Budget recognises the contribution of the middle class by addressing their concerns and offers something for everyone," he said in a tweet while thanking PM Modi for Rs 5,300 crore assistance to the Upper Bhadra project, which will improve irrigation and drinking water facilities in the districts of central Karnataka.
C T Ravi in Chikkamagaluru, pointing out seven priorities mentioned in the budget, said this is a farsighted and pro-poor budget, keeping in mind the interest of the country.
Assembly elections are due in Karnataka by May.