From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 16: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be dedicating the Ramthal Micro Irrigation project in Bagalkot district, hailed as the world’s largest ever integrated micro irrigation system, to the nation and the people of the State next month.

Speaking after the National level Water Convention, organized jointly by the department of Water Resources, Vijayapura district administration and the Jala Biradari organization, Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister M B Patil on Wednesday said it will be the largest-ever micro irrigation project not only in Asia and even the world.

The minister said the project was envisaged to irrigate over 70000 acres of parched land in Hungund taluk of the Bagalkot district will be commissioned next month.

He said the project would demonstrate to the world about the most efficient utilization of water to put the scarce land resources to its maximum utility.

Patil said the department of water resources has plans to bring another 5 lakh acres of land under micro irrigation system in the coming years.

"The Singatalur lift irrigation system, the Koppal lift irrigation system in the Krishna basin and the Purigali micro irrigation system in the Cauvery basin are among the major micro irrigation projects in the State, which were in various stages of progress” the minister said.

"With the commissioning of all these projects, Karnataka will have largest micro irrigation projects in the entire country in the coming years," the minister said.

With the advent of large areas of coming under micro irrigation system, there will be boom in the production of agriculture products in the region, Patil said and explained that it would pave us to establish a networks of agro processing industries in the region.

"To bring more benefits to the farmers in the region we have plans to set up Agriculture corridors along the irrigated areas in the state and efforts are being made to flow investment in the agro processing sector," the minister said.

Explaining the efforts which were made by the State Government in the last four years in strengthening the irrigation systems in the State, the minister said: "We have spent over Rs 4000 crore to modernize the canal systems in the Krishna basin and because of this efforts the water carrying capacity of the Narayanapur Left Bank Canal (NLBC) had been improved substantially."

Referring to the tank filling projects being undertaken by the department, the minister said the Government has plans to fill over 1500 larger tanks across the state by spending over Rs 6000 crore.

"Under the existing 75 tank filling schemes, the State Government has already completed about 25 tank filling schemes by spending over Rs 3000 crore," the minister said.

The rejuvenation of old tanks, ancient water management and distributor stems would help to give re-birth to water bodies in the State, he said.

"We are encouraging the private companies and individuals to extend their helping hands in this endeavour and restoration of Adil Shahi period water supply system - the Karez - has yielded tremendous success in the historic city of Vijayapur," he added.