CHITRADURGA: Planning and Statistic and District in-charge Minister D Sudhakar on Monday said he is committed to getting water released from the Upper Bhadra Project up to Gonur lake on an experimental basis by the end of February or March this year.
Speaking after hoisting the Tricolour during the 77th Republic Day programme, he said the government has promised to release Rs 200 crore for pending works of the Rs 2,677-crore project.
He said the tender process for the project that aims to facilitate drip irrigation in 73,946 hectares in Hiriyur, Chitradurga, Holalkere and Challakere taluks has been completed.
Praising farmers of the district, the minister said Chitradurga district has ranked first in the state by producing 48,682 tonnes of foodgrains in 2025-26. He said facilities worth crores of rupees have been provided to thousands of farmers through the horticulture and minor irrigation departments.
The industrial development of the district has been given a boost with the establishment of an industrial corridor near Metikurki in Hiriyur taluk, which will provide more employment to locals. The government has handed over 1,211 acres of land for the Davangere-Tumakuru direct rail line, he said and promised that train services will begin by December 2027.
Peaked caps distributed to cops
The government has replaced slouch hats of police constables with peaked caps. The m inister symbolically distributed peaked caps to the district police.