Bengaluru/New Delhi, Feb 7 Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that the state should get appropriate, judicious and due share of water from the river interlinking project.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, CM Bommai stated: "It is the stand of Karnataka that the water should be determined based on generation of water in our river catchment areas, our requirements and equity. We have been told that before preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), all concerned states must be taken into confidence."
It is the question of Krishna and Cauvery watershed areas, the rivers are lifelines of the state and hence the stand of the state has been made clear. There is no compromise on this front, CM Bommai explained.
He further stated that he would chair the MP's meeting and discuss many programmes related to state and central government. It would also be discussed on how the state budget has to be presented based on the allocations made in the central budget.
CM Bommai explained that he would meet Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He maintained that he would stay back in New Delhi on Tuesday as well. There is a possibility of meeting BJP party president J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Asked about Cabinet expansion, he said that the issue will be taken up when the central leaders fix up a time for it. Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the budget on February 1 for 2022-23 financial year, had proposed inter-linking of south Indian rivers. She has stated that Rs 46,000 crore has been reserved for this project.
The river interlinking of Godavari, Krishna, Pennar and Cauvery rivers that flow in Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states has been proposed. Karnataka's Leader of Opposition from Congress party Siddaramaiah had come down heavily on the central government in connection with interlinking of rivers of southern India stating that since Nirmala Sitharaman belongs to Tamil Nadu, she has announced the river-interlinking project which is going to benefit Tamil Nadu state. Siddaramaiah has also demanded an all-party meeting of all south Indian states to discuss the project of interlinking of southern rivers.
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