Date:28/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/28/stories/2007042806110400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Move to wind up KBJNL criticised

Special Correspondent

N. Dharam Singh

BANGALORE: The Congress on Friday criticised the State Government's move to wind up Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd., a special purpose vehicle established in 1994 to mobilise resources to fund irrigation projects in the Krishna basin.

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly N. Dharam Singh said the move would be detrimental to the north Karnataka region. The people of the region would oppose the proposal to wind up the Nigam, he warned.

The World Bank had funded the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) with the objective of irrigating 12 lakh acres of barren land. There were several pending projects to be executed in the Krishna basin. Out of Rs. 10,000 crore allocation required for these projects, only Rs. 8,500 crore had been spent so far, he said.

Mr. Singh said the Nigam was created by the Congress Government led by M. Veerappa Moily in 1994. Even H.D. Deve Gowda, when he was Prime Minister, had released Rs. 250 crore to the Nigam. It had to execute projects amounting to Rs. 400 crore in this financial year, he said.

Mr. Singh alleged that "based on bureaucrats' advice, the Government is moving in the direction of winding up the KBJNL. The Finance Department has mooted the proposal." The Nigam was required, as the State had to implement projects under Scheme B of the Bachawat Award. The State would be getting at least 155 tmcft of water under Scheme B.

The Centre had already set up a tribunal to adjudicate surplus Krishna waters among Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Mr. Singh appealed to Minister for Water Resources K.S. Eshwarappa to hold a meeting with legislators and MPs from the region to strengthen the Nigam and take steps to utilise its share of Krishna waters.