‘State committed to diverting Nethravathi’

Labour and Sericulture Minister B N Bache Gowda said that the government is committed to divert Nethravathi river to bring water to drought-hit districts like Chitradurga, Tumkur, Kolar and Chikballapur.

He said that the government has set aside Rs 400 crore for this and a proposal is being prepared.

Speaking to presspersons here on Saturday, Gowda said that the government is also considering to bring water from the rivers Bhadra and Hethenahalla as the water table in the districts have receded below 1,300 feet. This has affected the drinking water supply.

He said that the state government has effectively handled the drought situation by providing drinking water and fodder. He added that the government spent Rs 500 crore and submitted a proposal seeking Rs 5,000 crore grant.

Gowda said that the Union government is yet to release Rs 186 crore calamity relief fund. He added that government will build 1,500 Industrial Training Institutes, including 153 government and 193 aided training institutes. These institutes will   train 1.5 lakh students and conduct training courses.

On the fall in sericulture cultivation, the Minister said that  in Mysore, the  sericulture cultivation, which was  spread over50,000 hectares has been reduced to 4,000 hectares. Meanwhile, previously sericulture cultivation was spread over 1.8 lakh hectares in the state. But this has been reduced to 50,000 hectares following the crash in prices and import of China silk. He said the Sericulture Department and Central Silk Board have launched programmes to encourage sericulture cultivation.