B S Yediyurappa meets Modi, seeks nod for Rs 5,912-crore Mekedatu project

Bengaluru: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested him to approve various irrigation projects, and sought early clearance of the proposed Rs 5,912-crore reservoir at Mekedatu across the Cauvery river.

During his first interaction with Mr Modi and several Union ministers after taking over as CM on July 26, Mr Yediyurappa discussed about the drought and flood situation as well.

Official sources said the CM requested the PM to set up an AIIMS in Hubballi-Dharwad, and early intervention of Mr Modi in early publication of a gazette notification of the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal as well as Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal besides declaring the Upper Krishna Project Stage-3 as national project. Later, at a meeting with Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Mr Yediyurappa requested her to resolve many pending issues of the state besides seeking IT exemption to state building and other construction workers' boards by including them under section 10 (29A) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. He also requested for release of performance grant under 14th Finance Commission to urban as well as rural local bodies.

In a meeting with Union agriculture minister Tomar, the CM requested him to extend the cut-off date for enrolment of farmers under the PMFBY for the kharif season to August 14, 2019. He also urged the Union Minister to settle the pending claims under the PMFBY and release funds to meet statutory obligations under the MGNREGS for current fiscal as clear outstanding net advances of the state for 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2019-20.