Karkala (Karnataka), Apr 8: The State government will spend over Rs 100 crore during 2007-08 to rejuvenate all the existing tanks in the state, water Resources Minister Mr K S Eshwarappa informed here today.

Speaking to newspersons here today Mr Eshwarappa has said that the State had sanctioned Rs 86 crore to develop 156 tanks in Bijapur district and work has already started. The state government would also take measures to desilt all the tanks, construct vented dams and check-dams to improve the water level.

The minister has said that this year the work on rejuvenation of tanks will be taken in Davanagere district and already the survey has been commenced for the purpose.

He said that the state government had also completed 27 major Irrigation projects among the total 39 pending projects in the State and the work on the remaining projects were on the various stages of progress. The government had also contemplated the work of rejuvenation of over 53 tanks in the Cauvery Basin Area.

Later the minister has launched the 'Suvarna Gramodaya Yojana' in Mudaru village in Karkala taluk said that the Finance Ministry had made an additional budgetary provision of Rs 413 crore for the Irrigation Department for this year.

UNI