CHITRADURGA: Former Deputy Chief Minister and MP Govind M Karjol on Tuesday said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured of getting the central grants for the ambitious Upper Bhadra Project (UBP) released at the earliest.
Speaking to TNIE over the phone, Karjol said, "I met Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah in his office at Parliament House New Delhi, discussed regarding release of funds for the development of Upper Bhadra Project under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana- Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP) Scheme, home minister responded positively and assured of release of the funds at earliest."
When asked whether there were any political discussions on the ongoing power struggle in the state BJP, he said that the discussions were stipulated for the development of the backward Chitradurga district and priority was towards speedy implementation of the UBP, that will help in irrigation of the arid regions of Chitradurga, Tumkuru districts, Ajjampura, Tarikere and Kadur taluks of Chikkamagaluru district.
The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the year 2023-24 budget announced a grant of Rs 5,300 crores for the UBP. The budgetary allocation was based on the recommendations made by the Public Investment Board for central assistance of Rs 5,300 crore in October 2022. In August 2023, as per the request of the state government, a proposal was taken up by the Jal Shakti ministry under the PMKSY-AIBP scheme.