BENGALURU:In response to repeated criticisms from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress over the delay in releasing the Rs 5,300 crore announced in the Union Budget for the Upper Bhadra Project, former water resources minister Govind Karjol, now an MP from Chitradurga, has stressed the urgent need to release the funds.
The Upper Bhadra Project, designated as a national irrigation project, is seen as a vital scheme to address the severe water scarcity plaguing Central Karnataka.
Karjol recalled that Chitradurga is currently the second-most drought-prone district in the country, surpassed only by parts of Rajasthan. He emphasized the urgent need for the release of funds, assuring that he would take up the matter with Central authorities shortly. “If this project is realized, it will resolve all water-related issues in Chitradurga,” Karjol told The New Indian Express.
Recalling his tenure as Karnataka’s water resources minister, Karjol mentioned his previous efforts alongside former CM Basavaraj Bommai to address the delay in releasing funds. “We traveled to Delhi for meetings with department heads to push for the Upper Bhadra project’s implementation. The funds haven’t been released due to technical reasons. But I am well acquainted with the department’s workings and will ensure this issue is resolved,” Karjol elaborated.
Karjol also noted that while Vijayapura was previously the most drought-prone region in Karnataka, Chitradurga has now taken that unfortunate distinction.
He stressed that the entire district has been severely impacted by erratic monsoons, leaving agriculture and livelihoods vulnerable. However, he expressed optimism that if the Upper Bhadra project is successfully implemented, it would rejuvenate water tanks and irrigation networks, transforming the district and making it greener.
On the broader issue of development, Karjol lamented that large-scale projects previously initiated in the district, such as those by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), had failed to generate significant employment for locals. He called for more job-generating initiatives that could contribute to the overall development of Chitradurga district.