Irrigation projects in limbo in Karnataka, courtesy Congress guarantees

The Congress government in Karnataka is facing challenges in progressing with irrigation projects.

Hyderabad: The Congress government in Karnataka is struggling to take up irrigation projects, even as work orders that were issued for different tenders are being cancelled for paucity of funds due to the impact on the State exchequer of the party’s pre-poll promise of five guarantees.

Doubts are being raised by irrigation experts on the government’s action plan for completing pending projects. They were stressing that funds should be provided on priority for Upper Bhadra, Upper Krishna Project (UKP-3), Mahadeyi and Mekedatu projects to ensure the works were completed as per schedule.

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Both Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited and Karnataka Neeravari Nigama Limited had invited tenders worth nearly Rs.20,000 crore for taking up different irrigation projects in the State. However, the Siddaramaiah government decided to halt all works. These apart, work orders that were issued earlier were also being stopped, Irrigation expert Ashok Chandargi was quoted saying in media reports.

In addition to this, the Congress government also stopped extending its share of Rs.4,000 against union government’s Rs.6,000 under the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman programme.

As it is, many legislators have already expressed displeasure to the Congress top brass over meagre allocation of funds under the MLA Fund programme for taking up different works. Their contention was that Rs.50 lakh would not be sufficient for laying even a single road.

Chikkodi MLA Ganesh Hukkeri slammed his own Congress government charging that it had neglected the North Karnataka region in fund allocation and distribution.
“On the lines of a special fund set aside for Hyderabad-Karnataka region, the government should take up development of entire North Karnataka. North Karnataka constituencies have been neglected in all fields for a long time,’’ Hukkeri said according to reports.

The opposition BJP and JDS have been attacking the ruling Congress government for scrapping many schemes aimed at SC/STs, besides farmers. About Rs 11,000 crore meant for the SCP /TSP programme to uplift SC/STs was diverted for implementation of ‘five guarantees’, they alleged.

However, Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa refuted the charges, and said the amount was eventually being utilised on SC/STs as members of these communities form a major chunk of beneficiaries of the guarantees.