Date:22/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/22/stories/2005042201511700.htm

Back Varahi irrigation project will be completed by Dec 2007: Mallikarjuna Kharge

Our Bureau

Mangalore , April 21

THE Karnataka Minister for Water Resources, Mr M. Mallikarjuna Kharge, has said that Varahi irrigation project in Udupi district will be completed by December 2007.

Speaking to presspersons after launching the work on the diversion weir of the project at Shankarnarayana in Udupi district on Wednesday, he said that Rs 37 crore has been spent on the project in the past 25 years.

Of this, Rs 16.65 crore was spent between November 2004 and March 2005.

This year, works on diversion weir (Rs 29 crore), right and left bank canals (Rs 9.11 crore), and aqueduct (Rs 10.56 crore) are being taken up, he said.

The completion of the project will help in providing irrigation facilities to 15,702 hectares of land in Udupi district.

The Minister said that 8,324 ha of land in Kundapur taluk and 7,378 ha of land in Udupi taluk will get irrigation facilities.

The 2005-06 budget of the State Government has earmarked Rs 20 crore for the project. The Union Government is also likely to release funds for the project.

Mr Kharge said the State Government had approved the project in 1979 at an estimated cost of Rs 9.43 crore.