Yettinahole gets Rs 1900 crore boost as govtplans big for Bayaluseeme water security | Bengaluru News

[ad_1]
Bengaluru: In a major financial push to address the drinking water crisis in Bayaluseeme (arid region), the state cabinet Wednesday approved an additional Rs 1,900 crore for the ongoing Yettinahole project, which aims to help parched districts including Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur and Kolar.Chief minister Siddaramaiah, who chaired the cabinet meeting, said the govt had asked the finance department to place the proposal for approval.“The project cost was revised to Rs 23,251 crore, and Rs 17,147 crore was spent. There is Rs 6,103 crore to be spent on the project. However, the govt has learnt that it needs at least Rs 8,000 crore to complete the project. Hence, we have asked the finance department to approve the additional requirement and we will discuss the matter in the next cabinet meeting,” Siddaramaiah said.The Yettinahole project, initially envisioned to provide drinking water, will now stick to its original objective, the CM clarified. “During a recent meeting, we decided to stick to the primary goal of the project and provide drinking water to over 75 lakh people in nine districts. It needs 14 tmcft of water,” he said.Siddaramaiah added that while the project initially aimed to cater to Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Hassan, and Ramanagar, the scope was later expanded to include lake-filling to improve the groundwater table in the region.Wednesday’s special cabinet held at Nandi Hills also cleared Rs 2,550 crore for the Bengaluru division. Among key approvals was a Rs 36 crore allocation to construct a new lake in Chintamani taluk and Rs 237 crore to fill 45 lakes in Sidlaghatta and 119 lakes in Chintamani under the HN Valley-II stage.However, on the demand for a three-phase treatment of water in the KC Valley and HN Valley projects, Siddaramaiah said: “These projects aim to fill the lakes to increase the groundwater level. They are not drinking water projects. If the farmers submit their request for a three-phase treatment, the govt will consider it and take an appropriate decision.”When journalists pointed out that food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa had raised this issue, the latter stepped in to say, “I brought the matter to the chief minister, and he will take suitable action.”Meanwhile, Chikkaballapur in-charge minister M C Sudhakar alleged that “some people are misleading the people of the region with political motives.”Among other cabinet decisions, a Rs 141 crore hi-tech flower market in Chikkaballapur was approved, fulfilling a long-standing demand of local farmers. The cabinet also cleared the second phase of works at Bengaluru North University, estimated to cost Rs 123.5 crore.Further, the labour department received approval to set up 31 residential schools — one in each district — for the children of labourers at an estimated cost of Rs 1,125 crore. “I instructed them to establish the schools at the places where labourers reside,” Siddaramaiah said.The cabinet also approved setting up two residential training schools to prepare backward class students for competitive examinations, including IAS, and sanctioned new community health centres in newly formed taluks.——Other key decisions-Rs 2,550 crore cleared for developing Bengaluru division -Rs 36 crore allocation approved to construct a new lake in Chintamani taluk-Rs 237 crore to fill 45 lakes in Sidlaghatta and 119 lakes in Chintamani under the HN Valley-II stage-Rs 141 crore approved for hi-tech flower market in Chikkaballapur-Rs 123.5 crore cleared the second phase of works at Bengaluru North University
[ad_2]
Source link