Several irrigation projects in Karnataka have either stalled or slowed down due to inaction by the Union government, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on February 8 at Siraguppi village in Dharwad district.
He was speaking at the launch of several development works in Navalgund Assembly constituency, including a flood barrier at Bennihall. The event was organized by the Water Resources Department and Karnataka Irrigation Corporation Limited. The flood control infrastructure will cost an estimated ₹200 crore in the first phase. The Chief Minister initiated around 72 development works at a cost of ₹150 crore.
“The Union Government has stopped the third phase of the Krishna Upper River project. We have been urging the Union Ministers concerned to issue a gazette notification to allow us to start work, but in vain. Similarly, the Union Government is yet to grant the necessary permissions for the Kalasa Banduri Nala project. The Central Wildlife Board is yet to approve our application, even though all permissions have been issued by the Supreme Court, if all other authorities have approved the project, the Supreme Court.” they get permission, the work can start tomorrow itself,” said the chief minister.
Regarding the Mekedatu drinking water project, Mr. Siddarmaiah said the project involves consumption of 65 tmcft of water. But it is stuck as the Union government is yet to clear the state’s proposals. The courts have already dismissed the objections filed by Tamil Nadu, he added.
“The Upper Bhadra River project was considered a project of national importance in the Union Budget. The Center promised to release ₹5,300 crore for the same, but no money has been released yet,” the Chief Minister pointed out.
“Some people go around saying that the Karnataka government is not taking up development work because it has exhausted resources for guarantee schemes. This is far from the truth,” said Mr. Siddaramaiah.
He added that several development works are going on across the state. “For example, we have taken all necessary steps to start work on the Kalasa Banduri Nala project. Since the Supreme Court approved the project, we have called and completed the tenders and fixed the agency. But the work is yet to start as we have not received the necessary clearances from the Union government,” the chief minister said, adding that “our government has since spent around ₹25,000 crore on irrigation projects running into millions of dollars.”
He said the Union government collects ₹4-5 crore in taxes from Karnataka but only releases grants of about ₹60,000 crore. “We raised our objections to that,” he noted.
The Chief Minister criticized the BJP-led NDA government for introducing the VB-G RAM G scheme after making several changes in the MGNREGA Act. “For two decades, this program has provided livelihoods for rural people, reduced urban migration and ended starvation deaths,” he added.
A look at MGNREGA beneficiary statistics shows that 53% of the beneficiaries were women. Of the total beneficiaries, 28% are from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes – 17% and 11% respectively. “The welfare system which was meant to provide jobs to the youth, women and the unemployed has been abandoned. It is extremely unfortunate. However, we will not remain silent. We will fight against it. We will fight for the reintroduction of the MGNREGA scheme,” Mr Siddaramaiah said.
He said he was determined to make Navalgund a model constituency. “Several construction works have been started in the constituency. There are demands to build an underground drainage system in Annigeri town. It will be discussed before the budget,” the chief minister noted, adding that the ₹200 crore flood prevention project was started on the insistence of NH Konaraddi, MLA.
Earlier, an estimated cost of ₹1,610 crore was submitted to the Union government. “But as the Center delayed the approval, we have decided to start the first phase at a cost of ₹200 crore. About 37 villages and 20,000 hectares of land have been inundated due to flash floods in the stream. This will be prevented by the containment wall and other constructions,” the chief minister said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said he believed in Basavanna’s ideology of “inclusive and not different”. We run a welfare state. We have spent around ₹ 1.16 crore on the five warranty schemes. About ₹ 54,000 crore is used annually for the guarantee project. On average, each family receives ₹4,000-5,000 a month, or about ₹50,000 a year in direct benefits, he said.
Ministers HK Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Santosh Lad, Prasad Abbayya, MLA, Salim Ahmed and FH Jakkappanavar, MLC, leaders Shakir Sanadi and SR Patil, IG Sanadi, former MP, AH Hindasgeri, former minister, Kusumavati Shivalli, former MLA, and others.
Published – 08 Feb 2026 20:26 IST
