From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Dec 2: The Siddaramaiah regime is gearing itself to take comprehensive steps for the revival of as many as eight different water resource institutions, including six Command Area Development Authorities (CADAs); Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), Dharwad; and Karnataka Engineering Research Station (KERS), Krishnarajasagar, Mandya.
The revival plans are being implemented based on the recommendations by a high-level committee headed by M Shivaswamy, Director CADA Directorate, Bengaluru, on functioning of CADAs, WALMI and KERS, according to Karnataka’s Water Resource Minister M B Patil.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Monday, he said: "We will implement short-term and long-term reforms suggested by the M Shivaswamy Committee on functioning of CADAs, WALMI and KERS and revival of the almost defunct institutions.’’
Patil said the panel recommended revision of water tax charged to farmers and industrialists who have been drawing water from canals for irrigation and industrial purposes.
A committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary to Water Resources Department P B Ramamurthy has been entrusted with the task of recommending a hike water tax to be charged for consumers, he said.
The committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary has been asked to submit its report in two months.
The Minister hinted that water tax would be increased at least four times for different crops and different consumers who draw water from canals during the crop period.
He explained that the water prices were presently being fixed at Rs 4 for sugarcane crop and Rs 100 for paddy per acre.
The total Water tariff collection was merely Rs 23 crore against the target of Rs 92 crore a year, he said.
“We should at least collect Rs 500 crore in the form of water tax a year," he said.
The seven-member committee, which visited Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, studied the functioning of six CADAs based on the first-hand experience in four states.