SHIVAMOGGA: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced multiple infrastructure and development projects for Central Karnataka and Malnad districts like Davanagere, Chitradurga, Shivamogga, and Chikkamagaluru. The initiatives cover irrigation, power, transportation and healthcare projects.
Siddaramaiah said the government will provide funds to complete the Upper Bhadra Project, as the Centre failed to release Rs 5,300 crore announced in the 2023-24 Union Budget. The approval process for the proposed Sharavathi Pumped Storage Power Plant Project is underway with the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. The Rs 10,240 crore project, with a capacity of 2,000 MW, is in the tendering stage.
The CM said the state has partnered with Railways on nine projects under a 50:50 cost-sharing model. Karnataka will bear the entire land acquisition cost for seven projects, including Chikkamagaluru-Belur, Tumakuru-Davanagere, and Shivamogga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur lines. The state will spend Rs 9,847 crore of the total Rs 16,235 crore with an allocation of Rs 600 crore in 2025-26.
To address human-elephant conflicts, the government will establish a Wild Elephant Soft Release Centre in 20 sqkm within the Bhadra Tiger Reserve at Rs 20 crore. A special Rs 50 crore programme will be launched to combat communicable diseases including Kyasanur Forest Disease in Malnad. The government allocated Rs 62 crore to fight leaf spot disease affecting over two lakh arecanut growers.
The Malnad Area Development Board will receive funds from a Rs 83 crore corpus allocated for Bayaluseeme, Malnad and Karavali area development boards. A new sub-regional science centre will be set up in Chitradurga.
A bomb detection and disposal squad will be set up in Davanagere. An automated test driving track will be constructed in Chitradurga. AI-enabled traffic cameras will be installed in Davanagere and Chitradurga.