Karnataka Boosts Upper Krishna Project Phase 3: Historic Decision on Alamatti Dam Height and Farmer Compensation
In a bold step that could spark a fresh political battle between Karnataka and Maharashtra, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s government has announced major progress on the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) Phase 3. The team revealed details on raising the Alamatti Reservoir’s height and setting fair compensation for affected farmers, aiming to bring much-needed irrigation to drought-hit areas.
Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha after a special Cabinet meeting, CM Siddaramaiah shared the exciting updates. "We’ve got the green light to increase the Alamatti Dam’s height from 519.6 meters to 524.256 meters, following the court’s verdict," he said. This move ties directly into UKP Phase 3, a massive irrigation initiative designed to transform farming in North Karnataka.
The timing feels tense, especially after Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis warned he’d head to the Supreme Court if Karnataka goes ahead with the height increase. Water-sharing disputes between the two states have long been a hot topic, and this could reignite the debate.
Raising the dam height means about 75,000 acres could get submerged by backwaters, but the upside is huge. It promises to irrigate around 5.94 lakh hectares—that’s roughly 14 to 15 lakh acres—of farmland. "This will directly benefit farmers and lift their living standards," CM Siddaramaiah added. He emphasized how the Congress government sticks to its promises, pushing fast-track implementation to bring real prosperity to Karnataka.
The Cabinet meeting included inputs from farmers, farmer groups, local legislators, and ministers. They nailed down compensation rates to make things fair for those giving up land. For the main submerged areas, irrigated land will fetch Rs 40 lakh per acre, while dryland gets Rs 30 lakh per acre.
On the canal front, the project needs about 51,837 acres in total. They’ve already acquired 23,631 acres and started construction. For these, dryland compensation is Rs 25 lakh per acre, and irrigated land gets Rs 30 lakh. "Farmers losing land to canals will actually gain as project beneficiaries," the CM explained.
The government plans to roll out all compensation within three financial years. Many farmers are even ready to donate land voluntarily, seeing the long-term benefits for the state. CM Siddaramaiah pointed out a key difference from the past: Under the previous BJP government in 2023, low compensation offers stalled everything—no one wanted to part with their land. Now, with these higher rates, things are moving.
Earlier meetings in Belagavi with North Karnataka leaders and farmers talked about a one-time consent award, but they hadn’t fixed the amounts back then. This time, the focus is on action.
CM Siddaramaiah didn’t hold back on the Centre either. "Our government prioritizes quick scheme rollout, but the Union government hasn’t issued the needed notification yet for UKP Phase 3. We’ve urged them multiple times in meetings," he said, calling for faster support.
Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar tackled concerns about the costs head-on. The entire project requires 1,33,867 acres: 75,563 for submersion, 51,837 for canals, and 6,469 for rehab and resettlement. Around 20 villages and parts of towns will be affected.
"It’s a historic call to compensate for all that land," Shivakumar said. Expect an annual spend of Rs 15,000 to 20,000 crore, with the total project cost hitting about Rs 70,000 crore. He assured that canal work is already underway, so delays from the Centre’s notification won’t slow them down.
Ministers like H.K. Patil (Law and Tourism) and R.B. Timmapur (Excise) joined the press meet, showing strong team support for this game-changing irrigation push. As Karnataka charges ahead with UKP Phase 3, eyes are on how it balances farmer welfare, water security, and interstate relations.
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