Union govt. to approve ₹1,400 cr. for two projects under UKP.

Union Minister of State for Water Resources Sanjeev Kumar Balyan has said that the Union government would soon approve ₹1,400 crore for two projects submitted by the State government under the Upper Krishna Project (UKP).

Speaking to media persons at Almatti dam after visiting Narayanpur dam in Yadgir district on recent evening, Mr. Balyan said that the projects include the installation of gates at the left bank canals of Narayanpur.

Mr. Balyan said ₹70 crore had been released by the Union government and his ministry was collecting details on the utilisation of the funds. He added that most North-Indian States already have irrigation facilities and therefore did not require much irrigation funds as compared to South-Indian States where large tracts of lands remained to be irrigated. “States such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra require better irrigation facilities. Thus, the Union government is focussing more on these States,” he said.

The Minister mentioned that as part of the ambitious river-linking project, in the first phase, the decision had been taken to link the Ken of Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa of Uttar Pradesh and added that the project would be implemented beginning September this year.

With regard to inter-State water disputes in the country, the Minister made it clear that the Union government would not intervene in these matters. He said that already tribunals had been functioning to address such issues. “Apart from this, the States enjoy the right to seek the justice from Supreme Court. Therefore, the Union government has no role to play in these issues,” he said.

Anjum Parvez, Managing Director, Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam Limited (KBJNL), Jagannath Reddy, Chief Engineer, and other officials were present.

THE HINDU