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Awaiting high command nod for cabinet rejig: CM
CM Siddaramaiah awaits Congress approval for a Cabinet reshuffle and reaffirms commitment to the Mekedatu reservoir amid Tamil Nadu's opposition.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he was awaiting approval from the Congress high command to reshuffle his Cabinet, even as he reiterated his commitment to see through the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said he had sought an appointment with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss the reshuffle. “I have sought time from Rahul Gandhi. If he gives time, I will go and talk to him,” he said. The chief minister added that he would be in New Delhi on November 15 to attend an event organised by former Union minister Kapil Sibal, but was uncertain whether the Cabinet issue would be finalised during the visit. “If I don’t get time from the high command, I will return the same day,” he said.
Two Cabinet berths in the Karnataka government remain vacant following the resignation of ministers K N Rajanna and B Nagendra. Party insiders earlier indicated that the reshuffle may take place after the results of the Bihar Assembly elections are announced on November 14. State agriculture minister N Chaluvarayaswamy also recently suggested that the process could conclude by the end of November.
The chief minister reiterated his government’s commitment to building the long-pending Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River in Kanakapura taluk, despite opposition from Tamil Nadu. He maintained that the project would not harm Tamil Nadu’s interests and would instead help both states manage water more efficiently
“The balancing reservoir at Mekedatu will not harm Tamil Nadu. We gave them more water this year. Tamil Nadu should be given only 177.25 TMC as per the Supreme Court verdict, but we released 150 TMC in excess, almost double the quota,” Siddaramaiah said, referring to the 2018 judgment that defined the interstate water-sharing formula. He added that the project would benefit both states by preventing excess water from flowing into the sea and ensuring availability during dry spells.
The Mekedatu project, first proposed over a decade ago, has remained stalled due to legal and political disputes between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. While Karnataka argues that the reservoir would help regulate water release to Tamil Nadu and support Bengaluru’s drinking water needs, Tamil Nadu fears it would reduce its share of the Cauvery supply.
Siddaramaiah also addressed concerns over crop losses in northern Karnataka. “All our reservoirs are full, which is a good sign, but excess rain has damaged crops in several districts,” he said. Preliminary assessments indicated damage across 11,00,000 hectares of farmland,
The chief minister said the state government had initiated compensation measures. Farmers growing perennial crops are to receive ₹31,000 per hectare, while those in irrigated regions would get ₹25,500 per hectare, he said. “We have directed officials to ensure compensation reaches farmers without delay,” he said, adding that the government was also exploring long-term solutions to mitigate weather-related distress.
