CM Shivakumar sets 2027 target for Yettinahole project

The Congress Government has resolved to bring Yettinahole water to Kolar and Chikkaballapura by the end of 2027, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Monday.

Speaking at the inauguration of various departmental development projects in Malur taluk of Kolar district, he said the Government had added land rights as its sixth guarantee and water security as its seventh guarantee, in addition to the five existing guarantee schemes (Shakti, Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Yuva Nidhi, and Anna Bhagya).

He assured that the Government was committed to bringing Yettinahole water to Kolar and Chikkaballapura by the end of 2027.

“The JD(S) State President (HD Kumaraswamy) may joke that the Yettinahole project is not possible. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. This project is difficult, but should we not make an effort? We are committed to bringing water from the Western Ghats through Hassan to Kolar and Chikkaballapura,” he said.

According to officials, the ‘Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project’ envisages lifting 24.01 TMC of water available during the monsoon from Yettinahole, Kadumane Hole, Keri Hole and Hongada Halla in the Western Ghats in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district.

The project aims to mitigate the acute drinking water shortage in drought-prone areas, particularly in Chikkaballapura and Kolar districts, as well as other needy areas of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Tumakuru, Ramanagara and Bengaluru Rural districts.

He said efforts had already been made to bring water up to Tumakuru and that 104 lakes had been filled through the KC Valley project, while work was underway to fill another 65 lakes through the HN Valley project.

“We have decided to fill more than 700 lakes with treated water. Our objective is to recharge groundwater, fill lakes and ensure that water reaches farmers,” he said.

The CM said details of the projects launched by his Government would be announced on August 15.

“We have formulated several programmes to address the water shortage in Kolar and Chikkaballapura,” he said.

The CM praised the farmers of Kolar district for their resilience.

“The people of Karnataka should remember the farmers of this district. Even when the groundwater level fell to 2,000 feet, they did not lose hope or resort to extreme steps. Instead, they produced milk, vegetables, silk and flowers and supplied them to Bengaluru. They demonstrated their self-respect and determination,” he said.

He noted that the five guarantee schemes implemented by the Congress Government had changed people’s lives.

“Our guarantee schemes have become a model for the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our BJP friends criticised these schemes, but we have allocated Rs 52,000 crore every year for their implementation,” he said.

He said the Government had also introduced a sixth guarantee relating to land rights and the correction of property records, title deeds and related documents.

Referring to the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls, Shivakumar urged people to ensure that their names remained on the voters’ list.

“Mine is not a new Government. It is a continuation of the Government led by Siddaramaiah over the last three years. Special Intensive Revision is being conducted in the state. If you do not protect your right to vote, you may be deprived of many schemes and benefits. Your vote is your right. Protect your right,” he said.

He said the Government was ready to facilitate the issuance of caste and residence certificates and would coordinate with the Election Commission in this regard.

He said guarantee committees had been formed at the panchayat level to connect beneficiaries with Government schemes. Representation would be provided to backward classes, minorities, the Scheduled Castes and women in the six-member committees.

“The Government is moving towards establishing job exchange centres to connect youth with employment opportunities in private companies. Necessary training will be provided to help young people secure jobs. We are taking steps to fill 72,000 Government posts,” Shivakumar said.

He said all MLAs from the Kolar district were pillars of the Government and stressed the importance of unity.

“There is strength in unity. It is not possible to give ministerial positions to every MLA from the district. But every MLA here is a CM and a minister in terms of responsibility. I will work to empower them. That is my duty,” he said.

He announced that the Government would take administration to people’s doorsteps and that district-in-charge ministers would hold public grievance meetings every 15 days in each taluk. MLAs would visit gram panchayats to hear people’s problems.

“For this purpose, we are starting the ‘Praja Seve’ department,” he said.

Shivakumar said a Government Medical College for Kolar had been announced in the State Budget and that preparations were underway to allocate 60 acres of land to the Kolar Agricultural Produce Market Committee.