Siddu meets Modi, seeks nod for two irrigation projects

NT Correspondent

New Delhi

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested rectification in short-term farm loan limit, Rs 10,000 crore in financial support and urgent clearances for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Kalasa Bandhuri projects. In the meeting in Parliament complex, Siddaramaiah pressed for several key interventions focusing on critical areas, including agriculture, water resources and urban infrastructure. Deputy Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister D K Shivakumar, Energy Minister K J George and Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh accompanied Siddaramaiah to the meeting.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Karnataka chief minister said, "We provide credit to 35 lakh farmers. The drastic cut in the short-term agricultural credit limit will impact the agriculture sector and force farmers to depend on private lenders." NABARD has reduced the Short-Term Agricultural Credit Limit for Karnataka from Rs 5,600 crore in 2023-24 to just Rs 2,340 crore in 2024-25, a 58 per cent reduction that could severely impact farmers' access to soft loans, he said. "I have requested the PM to look into this and direct the Finance Ministry to rectify this situation so that farmers in Karnataka continue to receive soft agricultural loans," Siddaramaiah said.

Not only Karnataka farmers, but farmers across the country are impacted by this as the NABARD has cut the short term agri-credit limit across the country, he added. Siddaramaiah requested Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project, which promises to irrigate central Karnataka's drought-prone farmlands. The project has been pending since the 2023-24 Union Budget.