Latest news with #UpperBhadraProject
Time of India
24-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Malavi reservoir emptied but repair delayed, fuelling anxiety
Hagaribommanahalli (Vijayanagara): Despite funds being allocated for crest gate repairs that had been neglected for years, causing water wastage, farmers dependent on the Malavi reservoir face a dire situation without any repairs or water storage. During previous MLA Bhima Nayak's tenure, a Rs 150 crore project was initiated to renovate the reservoir comprehensively. The Malavi reservoir, vital for local farmers, typically holds 2 tmcs of water during adequate rainfall. However, insufficient rainfall and unaddressed leakage issues had left the reservoir unfilled for years. Most of the repairs to the reservoir were accomplished with the Rs 150 crore grant, of which Rs 4 crore is still available. The introduction of a system to consistently release water from Tungabhadra dam to the Malavi reservoir allowed it to be filled last year after nearly 13 years. However, issues with the crest gates caused water to leak into Hagari River. Following farmers' requests, current MLA Nemiraj Nayak arranged repairs through the irrigation department, utilising experts from the Upper Bhadra Project. However, insufficient repairs to gates 5, 7, and 9 resulted in continued leakage, with most water flowing into the Hagari River, undermining the Rs 150 crore investment. While groundwater levels improved in villages along the Hagari River, agricultural lands remained unirrigated. Pressure mounted to utilise the remaining Rs 4 crore grant for pending repairs. After a two-year delay, tenders were processed, and the irrigation department released 4 feet of remaining reservoir water into the Hagari River, with water flowing through two crest gates for three days. Meanwhile, rain caused water to gather near the crest gates of the reservoir, necessitating the construction of a barrier to contain it. Several tasks remain, such as the installation of walls on both the left and right banks to avert water leakage. The reservoir has been drained, and a barrier has been erected. "The project is expected to be finished on schedule," states AEE Dharmaraj from the Irrigation Department. Farmers continue to be sceptical. Although Rs 4 crore was left unutilised during the tenure of the last MLA Bhima Nayak, the current MLA, Nemiraj Nayak, has postponed the work by two years. Moreover, the 4 feet of water that was in the reservoir has now been emptied. "The rainy season is about to begin in a week, so when will the work on the reservoir be done?" asks Channabasappa Halyad, the former president of Malavi gram panchayat. In response, MLA K Nemiraj Nayak stated that repairs on all ten crest gates of the Malavi reservoir will be undertaken, with instructions given to address water leakage and expedite the completion of the work. Farmers should not be anxious, he said. Currently, the reservoir stands empty, with work yet to commence.
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
We have fulfilled 142 promises in two years, remaining will be met in next three years: Siddaramaiah
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared that 242 of the total 593 promises made during the 2023 Assembly elections had already been met in the last two years and the remaining will be implemented over the next three years. Speaking at the Samarpana Sankalpa Samavesha, a public gathering organised at Hosapete in Vijayanagara district on Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the Congress government's two-year in office, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that in his previous term between 2013 and 2018 also he had fulfilled 158 of the 165 promises, apart from 30 additional programmes that were not announced in the party's manifesto. 'But the BJP never fulfilled its promises. It had given 600 promises but could not fulfill even 10% of them,' he said. 'Injustice to Karnataka' The Chief Minister strongly criticised the Union government for what he called 'systematic financial injustice' towards Karnataka by stating that it had not paid ₹13,000 crore dues payable to the State in the last two financial years. 'Though the State contributes ₹4.5 lakh crore in taxes every year, it receives only ₹65,000 crore in return. It means only ₹14 per every ₹100. Prime Minister Narendra Modi often talks of cooperative federalism. Is it cooperative federalism? This erodes the federal structure,' he said. Pointing to the Union government's failure to provide its share for centrally-sponsored schemes to be implemented in the State, the Chief Minister added that Karnataka has been fulfilling its share of funding, but the Centre has failed to release its corresponding share. 'There were centrally-sponsored schemes worth ₹48,000 crore to be implemented in the State. The Karnataka government gave its share of ₹24,000 crore, but the Union government gave only ₹18,000 crore, ₹4,000 crore less than what it was supposed to give. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced ₹5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project. The then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai mentioned it in his Budget and declared that the project would be made a national project. Not a single rupee came from the Union government,' he said. Slamming the BJP-JD(S) alliance, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the BJP had never formed a government in Karnataka on its own but came to power through the backdoor through 'Operation Kamala'.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Funding for Centrally sponsored schemes declining: Karnataka CM
The Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which will be completing two years in office next week, on Wednesday reviewed the progress of various Centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) and said the Centre's funding to the National Health Mission, Prime Minister Ayushman Bharat, and many other schemes had declined by 40-50%, from the 100-90% range to 50-60%. Mr. Siddaramaiah chaired the State-level meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) and reviewed the utilisation of funds under the Centrally sponsored schemes during 2024-25. The Chief Minister said that as of March 2025, both the Central and State governments had spent ₹46,859 crore on the Centrally sponsored schemes. As against the mandated release of ₹22,758 crore, the Centre released only ₹18,562 crore to the State, which constituted about 82%. The Chief Minister told the MPs from all parties representing the State to pressurise the Union government to release allocated funds. He directed officials to ensure 100% utilisation of funds during the year. He said currently the Centre and the State share the funding of the Centrally sponsored schemes in the ratio of 60:40. However, the State contributed significantly to schemes such as midday meals by providing milk and eggs, and this increased the State's share to 70-80%, he said. The Centre did not release funds for the Upper Bhadra Project, social security schemes, and computerisation of primary agricultural cooperative societies during 2024-25, he said. Under the MGNREGA scheme, the Narendra Modi-led government allocated ₹2,200.4 crore during 2024-25, of which the State received ₹1,933.48 crore. A sum of ₹266.92 crore was yet to be released by the Centre to the State, he said. Referring to the shortfall in the Jal Jeevan Mission, the meeting noted that the Centre had not released ₹10,889 crore during the last two years. In 2024-25, an allocation of ₹3,804 crore had been earmarked for the State, out of which only ₹570.7 crore was released. A sum of ₹3,234 crore had not been released, he said. Similarly, the Centre had kept pending ₹65.82 crore under the Swachch Bharat Mission. Of the allocated ₹215.82 crore, the State received ₹150 crore during 2024-25. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, too, of the allocated ₹100 crore, only ₹34.21 crore was released to the State during the same year, Mr. Siddaramaiah said. The situation was not different under the National Rural Livelihood Mission. The Centre released ₹298.73 crore as against the sanctioned ₹398 crore, he said.
India Today
14-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Siddaramaiah accuses Centre of withholding funds, slams Karnataka MPs for inaction
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah came down heavily on the Union government on Wednesday, accusing it of withholding crucial funds owed to Karnataka and branding state-funded schemes under the Centre's at the state-level District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) committee meeting held at Vidhana Soudha, the Chief Minister said, 'Though Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project, not a single paisa has been given.'advertisementHe added that the state had written multiple letters to the Centre and Union Ministers, including the Prime Minister, read out some of these letters during the meeting to draw the attention of MPs. Siddarmaaiah pointed out that Rs 11,495 crore was due to Karnataka, including Rs 5,495 crore in special grants under the 15th Finance Commission and funds for lakes and the Peripheral Ring Road. 'Not a single rupee has been released,' he said.'I personally met Nirmala Sitharaman twice and appealed, but still, nothing was given,' he frustration, Siddaramaiah called out the lack of effort from the state's MPs. 'Why haven't MPs spoken even once in support of the state in the past two years? Don't try to escape responsibility,' he said, urging both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members to press the Centre for also flagged the pension dues from the Centre, saying, 'The state government continues to pay Rs 5,665 crore in pensions. However, the central government contributes only Rs 559 crore. Even this small amount hasn't been released for the past two years. Why is that?'Taking aim at the Centre, he said several welfare schemes mostly funded by the state were being branded under the Prime Minister's name, despite minimal financial support from the Union government. 'Shouldn't this ongoing injustice be questioned?' he said that despite Karnataka contributing Rs 4.5 lakh crore in taxes, the Centre had failed to support the state adequately. 'You accuse us of not having funds for development, while you hold back what is rightfully ours,' he said. IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
New Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Karnataka unhappy over failure to get irrigation project grants
BENGALURU: Karnataka has expressed displeasure over failing to get grants from the Union government for its irrigation projects. State Policy and Planning Commission Vice-Chairman BR Patil and the State's representative in Delhi TB Jayachandra, on Tuesday discussed the state's projects and the Union government's grants for the year 2024-25 and 2025-26 for Karnataka. Officials from the Water Resources, RDPR, PWD, Commerce and Industries, Urban Development and Minor Irrigation departments who attended the meeting, discussed Central government-sponsored projects, fund sharing between the State and Union governments and other issues. Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta said the Union government has allocated funds for railway projects and there is no issue with railway projects as well as national highways. However, he said grants announced for water resources and minor irrigation departments are long pending and have not been released. The Union government announced the Upper Bhadra Project as a 'national project', but the required grant of Rs 5,600 crore was not released. The officer said the Telangana government has reacted positively to the Krishna and Tungabhadra projects, whereas the Andhra Pradesh government has not.
