UKP Stage III cost has shot up to ₹65,000 crore: Karjol
The Hindu
Minister accuses previous Congress government of neglecting project and holds it responsible for increase in cost
Minister for Water Resources Govind Karjol recently accused the previous Congress government of neglecting the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) and held it responsible for its rise in cost. He was speaking to presspersons after inspecting the Gandorinala Dam (Medium Irrigation Project) at Belakota village of Kalaburagi district.
Mr. Karjol said that the estimated cost of UPK Stage III to utilise 130 tmcft of Krishna river Water Tribunal 2, which was ₹17,207 crore in 2012-13 has shot up to ₹65,000 crore now. The BJP government in the State during 2011-12 allocated ₹17,207 crore to take up resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) works to acquire 1,33,800 acres of land.
Though the tribunal, headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar, allocated Karnataka 173 tmcft water seven years ago, the previous government (Congress and JD(S)-Congress coalition government) had not released funds for the project.
