September 13, 2025

Bengaluru is buzzing as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gears up for a special cabinet meeting on September 16. What’s the hot topic? The big-ticket Upper Krishna Project (UKP)-III! This includes raising the height of the famous Almatti Dam and sorting out compensation for those whose lands will be affected. Only days ago, Siddaramaiah met farmers and local leaders, assuring them the government is fully committed to pushing the project forward while protecting landowners’ rights. The project had been slated for discussion in the regular Thursday cabinet meet, but instead, the government decided to hold a separate, focused session. Why? There are many tricky issues to untangle—court cases, land acquisition puzzles, and procedure details—that need fresh, clear-headed decisions before rolling out the plan. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil shared with reporters, "The CM has categorically expressed the govt's commitment to implement the UKP-III project after yesterday's meeting. In this backdrop, the cabinet discussed the issue and decided to convene a special meeting as there are many issues, including court cases, procedural obligations and land acquisition to be addressed." The core of the project? Raising Almatti Dam’s height from 517 metres to a towering 524.2 metres. This increase is based on the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal award and aims to add a whopping 100 tmcft of water storage. This means irrigation can reach an extra 6 lakh hectares of farmland, a true boon for farmers! However, such progress comes with a price. The expansion will submerge 20 villages plus parts of Bagalkot town, affecting many lives. The dam itself is already Karnataka's largest reservoir by storage capacity. Now, to make this happen, the government needs to acquire a massive 1.3 lakh acres for resettlement, rehabilitation, and building the water distribution network. Costs are soaring – from Rs 55,148 crore in 2018, the estimate soared to Rs 87,818 crore thanks to rising land prices and delays from the Centre. Specifically, land acquisition costs shot up from Rs 17,627 crore to Rs 40,557 crore. To kickstart the process, Siddaramaiah has allocated Rs 5,563 crore in this year’s budget. But wait, there’s more! The cabinet also greenlit a subcommittee to explore creating multipurpose cooperative societies. These societies will supply outsourced staff to government departments, aiming to protect labor rights and prevent exploitation. "At present, private agencies are providing outsourced employees. It is found necessary that there is a regulatory mechanism to prevent exploitation of these employees. And proper guidelines are required for the safety of the outsourced employees doing hazardous jobs," said Patil. In addition, the cabinet passed other key decisions: - Approved Karnataka Minor Minerals (Amendment) Rules, 2025, to make sand, stones, gravel and clay affordable - Limited the number of dignitary invitees at government events to nine, extendable to 13 - Approved blending biodiesel with high-speed diesel for greener fuel - Sanctioned Rs 218.2 crore for a Labour Cess Tracing & Monitoring System to keep tabs on welfare fund collection and use The Karnataka government is in full throttle mode, tackling big projects and people’s welfare hand-in-hand. The upcoming cabinet meeting promises to bring fiery debates and big decisions as the Upper Krishna Project moves closer to reality!

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Tags: Upper krishna project, Almatti dam, Land acquisition, Siddaramaiah, Cabinet meeting, Karnataka government,