The minister will seek an additional ₹300 crore for irrigation works in the Kalyana region of Karnataka

Minor Irrigation Minister Ajay singh at a press conference in Kalaburagi on Saturday. | Photo credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Minor Irrigation Minister Ajay Singh plans to seek additional funds of ₹ 300 crore for development works in the Kalyana region of Karnataka after discussions with the Finance Ministry.

Dr. Speaking to presspersons here on Saturday, Singh said 13 minor irrigation projects worth ₹200 crore have been initiated during the financial year 2025-26 through the Minor Irrigation Department and Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board.

Dr. Singh said a meeting will be held with officials within a week to assess the water shortage in rural areas and identify the places where borewells and open wells need to be drilled to solve the water shortage.

Defending the Nandini milk price hike, the minister said the decision was taken to protect dairy farmers who were facing rising production costs and the effects of drought.

He said the cost of milk production, packaging and transportation has increased substantially, making it difficult for farmers to sustain dairy operations without adequate returns.

“Is it wrong to ensure that farmers are paid fairly for their hard work? Should they continue to sell milk at a loss?” he asked.

Of the additional ₹8 collected through the price revision, ₹7 would go directly to farmers, while the remaining ₹1 would be allocated to the milk producers’ cooperative, the minister claimed.

Dr. Singh claimed that Nandini milk continues to be cheaper in Karnataka than in several other states. Even after the price revision, milk prices in Karnataka remained ₹ 4 to ₹ 10 lower than many states, he claimed.

Criticizing the BJP-led Union government, the minister said Karnataka was not getting the financial assistance it was entitled to. Despite the state seeking assistance of at least ₹20,000 crore under the National Disaster Response Force to address the drought situation, the state has not received a favorable response, he said, accusing the Center of adopting a “negligent approach” to Karnataka.

He also pointed out that rising prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas have increased the financial burden on common people.

The minister termed the protests organized by the BJP and the Janta Dal (Secular) against the milk price revision as politically motivated.

Published – 31 Oct 2026 19:59 IST