Karnataka - Bangalore   

Centre criticised for not giving funds for irrigation projects

K.S. Eshwarappa

BANGALORE: Annoyed over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s review of the implementation of the rehabilitation package for farmers in six districts, Minister for Water Resources K.S. Eshwarappa on Saturday hit out at the Centre for not releasing funds for 17 irrigation projects estimated at Rs. 2,410.7 crore.

Of the 17 projects, the Union Cabinet had approved four in the Krishna basin with an investment of Rs. 1,208.7 crore. Though the State Government submitted detailed project reports 15 months ago, the Centre was yet to release funds. It had adopted a “step-motherly attitude” towards irrigation projects of the State, he alleged.

Addressing presspersons here, the Minister said the Government had spent Rs. 550 crore on these projects and set aside Rs. 604 crore in the budget for 2007-08. Instead of promising to release funds, Dr. Singh visited the State to declare that “the coalition formation in the State is not in a good shape.” If the Centre did not release funds, the State Government would mobilise resources on its own to execute 17 projects – eight each in the Cauvery and Krisna basins, he said.

On Friday, after a review meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar said the Centre was aware of the State’s inability to implement the proposed major and medium irrigation projects in the Cauvery and Krishna basins owing to inter-State disputes over water sharing and agreed that the funds earmarked for these projects could be utilised for other watershed development and groundwater recharging schemes.

Mr. Eshwarappa said the Centre had sought several clarifications on irrigation projects and the Government had submitted revised proposals several times. But the Centre denied in principle clearance for 13 projects. Instead of releasing funds for irrigation projects, Dr. Singh suggested to the Government to utilise funds sanctioned for the Sujala Watershed Project and the Suvarna Gramodaya Scheme, the Minister said.

He took exception to the recent circular issued by the Central Water Commission that the Government had to obtain permission from the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal for implementation of projects in the Cauvery basin.

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