Karnataka - Bangalore   

Rs. 1,208 crore sought for modernisation of canals

Bangalore: Compliance reports on 16 ongoing canal works, seeking financial support of Rs. 1,208 crore from the Union Government under the Prime Minister’s package for taking up extension, renovation and modernisation (ERM), has already been sent to the Central Water Commission (CWC).

The funds are to be utilised for creating potential in the existing irrigated areas.

According to sources in the State Government, the Department of Water Resources had sent its compliance on all projects addressing the questions raised by the CWC.

The compliance in respect of the Bhadra modernisation project in Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts were forwarded a month ago.

The sources said that all the 16 projects for which the State Government planned to take assistance had been approved by the Cabinet and complied with technical specifications.

The State Government had complied with the cropping pattern and benefit cost ratio.

Launched when Mr. H.D. Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister, under which Karnataka was a major beneficiary, the State Government, which had taken up work for modernising the canal systems under different irrigation projects, approached the Centre when it announced the package for six districts for financial support for their speedy completion.

Now that the State Government had submitted its compliance reports on these projects, the Central Water Commission would forward the same to the Planning Commission for its final approval.

Meanwhile, the Union Government, which had approved the Prime Minister’s package for the projects, was likely to expedite the release of funds.

The projects to get Central funds are the 320-km stretch under Bhadra in Shimoga and Chikmagalur districts; Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Markandeya and Hipparagi in Belgaum district; Hemavathi in Hassan district and Bhimasamudra tank project in Chitradurga district.

The decades-old Bhadra canal system, which was in need of urgent renovation, repair and modernisation, was in limbo because of lack of consensus.

The lack of consensus involved the serious issue of regularising the unauthorised cultivation on a large tract of land on the sides of the canal.

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