Rs 750 crore project to ease Kalaburagi’s water scarcity

Kalaburagi: With a view to solve the drinking water shortage in Kalaburagi city on a permanent basis, a project has been planned with a budget of Rs 750 crore, Minister for Urban Development U.T. Khader said here on Tuesday.

Addressing the media after a review meeting with officials, Mr Khader underscored the need to upgrade drinking water facilities in Kalaburagi City which is growing at a fast pace.

“The project, which aims at drawing water from all possible sources, will commence within three months and  will be completed in the next five years,” Mr Khader said, adding this was in addition to Rs 140 crore released under the Amrit scheme for the city to replace old drinking water pipelines.

Moreover Rs 150 crore grants would be given to each of the ten cities with a population of above ten lakh for overhauling the UGD system.

To a query Mr Khader said that Kalaburagi City would be again recommended for consideration as a Smart City by the Centre. The last time it was recommended, the Centre did not consider it on the ground that it did not meet the criteria laid down.

When the issue of illegal encroachments in the city was raised, the District In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge said that a fresh survey would be conducted if the Ministry of Urban Development passed an order.

Referring to the recent incident of political pressure being exerted to stall the effort to remove encroachments in the city, Mr Kharge said no success could be achieved without the cooperation of elected representatives and the media.