Karnataka seeks Rs. 265 cr to bring 15 more dams under DRIP.

The State Government has decided to extend the World Bank aided Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) to 15 more dams, including Krishnaraja Sagar Dam (KRS), Mysuru.

About Rs. 40 crore would be spent on improving the security and dam gates of the KRS dam, constructed the across Cauvery River.

The Government expects an additional funding of Rs. 265 crore for 15 dams for improving their safety and operational performance.

So far, the Bank has given funding of Rs. 186 crore to two major dams in the Krishna basin – Almatti Dam (Rs. 71.50 crore) and Narayanapura dam (Rs. 114.50 crore), both were built with the World Bank aid.

Tenders have been called to take up works such as repair of gates, leakages, security of two dams etc. All works expected to complete by 2018, Minister for Water Resources M.B. Patil told presspersons recently.

The DRIP was multi-states project and Rs. 480 crore remained unutilised with the Centre. To seek funds under the DRIP, the State has submitted proposals on five dams – Amarja, Bennethora, KRS, Hidkal, and Malaprabha. The Central Water Commission is expected to clear the projects, which would cost Rs. 95 crore.

Another project reports on 10 dams (Rs. 170 crore) would be submitted to the CWC by June-end, he said. International Development Association (IDA) funded the projects and repayment period is 30 years.


THE HINDU