Karnataka Boosts Upper Krishna Project with Higher Compensation for Farmers
In a big move to speed up irrigation work in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Tuesday that the state government will pay farmers between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh per acre for land needed in the third phase of the Upper Krishna Project. This decision comes after a special Cabinet meeting in Bengaluru aimed at tackling land acquisition delays.
Shivakumar, who also handles the irrigation portfolio, shared these details during a press conference at Vidhana Soudha. "We’ve set Rs 40 lakh per acre for irrigated land, Rs 30 lakh for dry land, and Rs 25 lakh for areas used for canals," he said. The government consulted local leaders, farmers, and ministers before finalizing this. This compensation applies only to land under the Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigama for phase 3 of the Upper Krishna Project.
To avoid more hold-ups, the state is starting the land acquisition process right away, even without the central government’s Gazette notification. Officials estimate the total cost at around Rs 70,000 crore. Shivakumar added that they plan to wrap up the entire process in three years by buying land directly from willing farmers.
Land prices in the region have shot up recently, making fair deals crucial. The earlier Bommai government offered Rs 24 lakh for irrigated land and Rs 20 lakh for dry land, but farmers rejected it despite a Cabinet sub-committee. That stalled progress, so now the current team is pushing to acquire all land in one go.
The Upper Krishna Project phase 3 needs about 1,33,867 acres in total. Out of this, 75,563 acres will go underwater from the reservoir, 51,837 acres for canals, and another 6,467 acres for resettling affected people. The acquisition follows the 2013 Land Acquisition Act rules.
Shivakumar noted there are around 20,000 ongoing disputes over land. The government will resolve these through arbitration as per the 2013 Act. For clear titles without issues, they’ll buy directly. On rehabilitation, they’re drafting a fresh policy after gathering views from locals and farmers. Under Section 51 of the 2013 Act, they’ll create a Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority, headed by a judge picked by the Chief Justice.
The Deputy CM stressed that completing long-delayed irrigation projects like this is a top priority for the Karnataka government. It will transform lives for farmers in the drought-prone areas by ensuring better water access.
This step marks a milestone for the Upper Krishna Project. Back in 2010, the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal allotted Karnataka its share of Krishna River water. The final report came out in 2013, but the Centre hasn’t issued the Gazette notification yet due to pushback from neighboring states.
Shivakumar revealed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and he met Union Jal Shakti Minister to push for using Karnataka’s water share. The minister gave initial approval for the notification, but meetings got delayed twice over political pressure from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Still, the minister promised a meeting soon. In the meantime, Karnataka is gearing up to start the project.
When asked about opposition from riparian states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, Shivakumar stayed optimistic. "The Tribunal’s decision is final, and Maharashtra’s CM has no choice. They even agreed to raise the Almatti dam height earlier. We’re just using our rightful water share that’s currently wasted into the sea." He added confidence that Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will support it, as the project will hugely benefit Karnataka’s farmers. The state eagerly awaits the Centre’s Gazette notification to move full steam ahead.
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