Context: In a big push for the major lift irrigation project designed to irrigate 2.25 lakh hectares, the Upper Bhadra Project is set to get the national project status in the next few days. That will ensure 60 per cent funding from the Centre for the project.
Key Points

• This is the first project from state to get this status.
• This status of national project will change irrigation scenario of central Karnataka.
• It will help the state in getting Rs 12,500 crore from the Centre.
• It will speed up the ambitious irrigation project and help in transforming central Karnataka from being water scarce to water rich state.

Upper Bhadra Project

• This project was launched with the aim of irrigating 2,25,515 hectares by means of micro-irrigation in drought-prone districts of Chitradurga, Chikkamagaluru, Davangere and Tumakuru. 
• It will fill up 367 tanks under drought prone taluks of three districts through Chitradurga and Tumakuru branch canals. 
• This project was launched with the objective of providing sustainable irrigation facility in Kharif season. 
• Its other objectives include recharging groundwater table and diluting chemical contaminants of which Fluoride is predominant.
• The Upper Bhadra Project is being undertaken by Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Ltd. 
• It is a major lift irrigation scheme under implementation in Karnataka. In the first stage, this project would lift water, from Tunga to Bhadra. 
• While in second stage, it would life water from Bhadra reservoir and provide it to a tunnel near Ajjampura. Water will be provided through gravity canal in Tungabhadra sub-basin of Krishna basin.

By: Shubham Tiwari