Water bodies in state to be rejuvenated

BANGALORE:  In the last three years the  department of small and minor irrigation has created a new command area of over 1.2 lakh acres by spending over `1,600 crore, Minister for Small Irrigation Govind Karajol said.He addressed newsmen here on Wednesday, the minister said that apart from this, an additional irrigation potential of over 1.3 lakh acres was also created by repairing, strengthening and desilting over 2,000 small and medium tanks across the state. He said that under the special financial assistance from the 13th finance commission, Karnataka would get another `450 crore to be spent in three years for undertaking repairs of tanks, percolation tanks and building of small and big check dams across streams. “A detailed action plan has been prepared to utilise the grant.” He added that under the plan the department has created irrigation facility of over 35,000 acres of land benefiting SC/ST families.Over 2,200 potential sites have been identified to build new tanks, barrages, bridge-cum-barrages and percolation tanks, he said.