Belgavi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called on the Central government to speed up permissions for several stalled irrigation projects in the state, including the long-delayed Mahadayi project, reported The New Indian Express.
Speaking at a divisional-level agricultural equipment distribution event at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on Sunday, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka is fully prepared to begin work on key projects like Mahadayi, Mekedatu, and the Krishna Upper River Project once the necessary approvals are granted.
He criticized the delay in obtaining forest clearances for the Mahadayi project, saying, “If the Centre gives the green light, work can begin tomorrow.”
The Chief Minister reiterated that irrigation is a top priority for his government, which has committed over ₹25,000 crore to both major and minor irrigation works. “India is an agriculture-based country. Supporting farmers is our responsibility,” he said, adding that the state is working to complete all pending irrigation projects without delay.
Siddaramaiah also spotlighted the state government’s initiatives to strengthen the agriculture sector. He highlighted the ‘Krishi Bhagya’ scheme, which supports farmers in dryland regions and has been allocated ₹200 crore for implementation. He added that more than 25,000 agricultural wells were built across Karnataka last year to improve water access for farmers.
With fewer people now choosing to work in agriculture, the Chief Minister stressed the growing need for farm mechanisation. He announced new subsidies on modern agricultural equipment, particularly in the Belagavi region, where sugarcane farming is on the rise. General category farmers will receive a 40% subsidy, while Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe farmers will receive a 50% subsidy on sugarcane harvesting machines.
At the event, Siddaramaiah distributed agricultural equipment worth ₹40 crore. The equipment included 78 sugarcane harvesters, 100 power tillers, 165 rotovators, 120 ploughs, 100 fodder cutters, 64 seed drills, 26 pile drivers, five stubble cutters, 12 soil sprayers, and 1,480 sprinklers.
