Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that all irrigation projects in North Karnataka, including lift irrigation projects, constructing balancing reservoirs and modernisation of irrigation canals, will be completed and put in use within the stipulated time.
“When I was Water Resources Minister, the Government had allocated ₹1,200 crores for the modernisation of Tungabhadra canals. As a result, the works are completed,” Mr. Bommai said, adding that the Koppal Lift Irrigation project is in its final stage.
He was addressing a public gathering after flagging off the Jan Swaraj Yatra organised by the BJP in Koppal on Thursday.
“The Congress had undertaken Namma Nadige Krishneya Kadege [our march towards Krishna] Yatra just for power. The party leaders had promised ₹50,000 crore for various irrigation projects in the State. But, they released only ₹17,000 crore during their tenure. It is because of their breach of people’s trust that the party had to lose power and sit in the Opposition,” Mr. Bommai said.
Recalling former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s commitment to the development of Kalyana Karnataka, Mr. Bommai said that the region’s name was changed from Hyderabad Karnataka to get rid of a sense of slavery with the word Hyderabad. He also declared that he would provide the region with ₹3,000-crore special grants every year to take forward the initiatives of Mr. Yediyurappa for the development of the region.
“As much as 30 tmcft silt is accumulated in Tungabhadra Reservoir reducing the storage capacity of the dam. We are planning to build a balancing reservoir so that the loss of water could be compensated by storing an equal amount of water in the new reservoir. The Detailed Project Report for the ₹20-crore project is being prepared and ₹14 crore has already been released. The project would be materialised by taking consent from Andhra Pradesh,” Mr. Bommai said.
Mr. Bommai said that he never thought he would become the CM.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have assigned me the job and I would work hard to meet their expectations by bringing positive changes to people’s lives,” he said.
