Karnataka allocates Rs 500 cr for Kalasa-Banduri works

Bengaluru: Despite financial stress, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa Thursday tried to focus on agriculture and irrigation in his budget for 2020-21, proposing to allocate Rs 500 crore to take up the works of Kalasa and Banduri Nalas under the Mhadei river project.

He proposed to waive the interest on default farm loans given for the purchase of agricultural equipment by cooperative banks, benefitting around 92,000 farmers. The Karnataka Chief Minister said the state government is committed to the “speedy continuation” of the much-anticipated Mhadei project, which is very helpful for the people and farmers of North Karnataka region.

Noting that the central government has issued the notification as per the direction of the Supreme Court, he said, “We congratulate the central government for this.”

In accordance with the notification, the Karnataka government will provide Rs 500 crore in 2020-21 to take up the works of Kalasa and Banduri Nalas under the Mhadei project.

The Kalasa-Banduri Nala (diversion) project, which will utilise 7.56 tmcft of water from the inter-state Mhadei river, is to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag. The project involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, the tributaries of the Mhadei river. Focusing on irrigation, Yediyurappa said the government will accord priority to the “Yettinahole project” to provide safe drinking water expeditiously to the districts of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapura and Kolar which are facing severe scarcity.

He also announced Rs 200 crore for comprehensive development of the Christian community.