Cabinet Approves Single-Phase Acquisition of 1.33 Lakh Acres for Almatti Dam Expansion

Fast summary

• karnataka’s Cabinet approved the acquisition of 1.33 lakh acres of land for the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) phase-III to increase Almatti dam height from 519.16m to 524.256m.
• Compensation for farmers was announced: ₹40 lakh/acre for wetland and ₹30 lakh/acre for dry land in submerged areas; ₹30 lakh/acre and ₹25 lakh/acre respectively in canal areas.
• The compensation amount, totalling approximately ₹70,000 crore, will be paid over three years starting this financial year.
• UKP phase-III aims to irrigate 14-15 lakh acres (5.94 lakh hectares) across North Karnataka districts upon completion.
• Land acquisition involves 75,563 acres due to submergence, 51,837 acres for canals, and 6,467 acres for rehabilitation/resettlement purposes with a consent-based approach or direct purchase method emphasized to expedite proceedings.
• Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that mediation would be used for pending court cases related to land acquisition and called on the Center to release a gazette notification under the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal award-which has been delayed since its issuance in 2010-to proceed with increasing dam height legally.
• Maharashtra has raised objections regarding raising the Almatti dam height-a case Karnataka plans to address legally and politically while also formulating new Rehabilitation and resettlement policies under relevant laws.

indian Opinion Analysis
The Cabinet’s decisive push toward completing UKP phase-III underscores its commitment to resolving longstanding water resource challenges in North Karnataka-an area heavily reliant on irrigation systems due to climatic constraints affecting agriculture productivity. The allocation of substantial funds alongside farmer-centric compensation comes as both an economic risk and necessity given agricultural livelihoods at stake.

The project highlights interstate complexities tied around water-sharing agreements under India’s federal system with concern voiced by Maharashtra against raising Almatti’s height likely reflecting broader cooperative ambiguity surrounding riparian rights policies unresolved frequently across Indian basin states

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