The Karnataka government has decided to expedite the land acquisition for the third phase of the Upper Krishna Project i.e. UKP-3. Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswami directed to give pending compensation to the affected families on priority and proceed with the process as per rules.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has decided to expedite the land acquisition process for the third phase of the Upper Krishna Project (UKP). Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy has directed officials to provide compensation to the beneficiaries of pending land acquisition in the first and second phase of UKP on priority basis. Also, land acquisition should be started on proportionate basis as per the rules under UKP-3.
Impact on land of 184 villages
In a high-level meeting held at Vidhan Soudha on Monday, the land acquisition process of 184 villages affected by the backwater of Almatti reservoir was reviewed. The minister told the officials that the entire process should be as per the rules and guidelines set by the government and arbitrary decisions should be avoided at any level.
Ministers and MLAs of the project affected area can give their suggestions in writing to the government regarding different stages of land acquisition. The government has said that the acquisition and compensation process will be taken forward keeping in mind the interests of the affected families.
Emphasis on pending compensation of first and second phase
Minister Cheluvarayaswami directed the officials to expeditiously complete the payment of still pending compensation in the first and second phase of UKP. He said that the beneficiaries whose land acquisition process is pending should be provided compensation on priority basis.
The government had fixed the compensation rate per acre through an order issued last year. The minister said that if officials have any dilemma regarding the calculation of compensation for buildings or other structures, they can seek written clarification from the department. This issue will also be placed before the Chief Minister, so that clear guidelines can be issued if needed.
Panchayats have the responsibility of identifying land for rehabilitation.
Gram Panchayats have been given the responsibility of identifying land for rehabilitation of people affected by UKP-3. The government is also preparing to take forward the matters related to rehabilitation and resettlement along with the land acquisition process.
The allegations regarding alleged land sale agreements related to rehabilitation centers were also discussed in the meeting. The minister said that if such agreements worth crores of rupees are confirmed, legal action will be taken. In the interest of the affected families, it was also said that a separate meeting would be organized on matters related to RC Shelter.
Acquisition process already underway in 79 villages
The government discussed giving priority to 79 villages out of 184 affected villages where land acquisition is already underway in different stages. After this, there is a plan to start the process of land acquisition in 87 villages where notifications have not been issued yet.
The government has said that priority will be set based on the situation affected by the floods. At the same time, some villages which have reached the final stage of the land acquisition process will be taken up in the later stage.
Target of compensation of 15 thousand acres this year
The Karnataka government aims to distribute compensation for about 15,000 acres of the total 75,563 acres of affected land in the current year. This target is part of the government's plan to advance land acquisition of UKP-3.
The issue of land in Babaleshwar area also came up in the meeting. Minister M.B. Patil said around 5,600 acres of land is affected in Babaleshwar and compensation for at least 1,000 acres should be provided immediately.
He also said that despite funds being released for 18 villages, some affected villages of Vijaypur district were not included.
Proposal to distribute ₹3,000 crore among six assembly constituencies
Minister Cheluvarayaswamy assured the meeting that the proposed amount of ₹3,000 crore would be distributed equally among the six assembly constituencies covered under the ambit of the project. Under this, a provision of ₹500 crore will be made for each assembly constituency.
The government says that this amount will help in pursuing land acquisition and related needs in the affected areas.
What is proposed in UKP-3?
In the third phase of Upper Krishna Project, there is a plan to increase the height of the gate of Almatti Dam from 519.60 meters to 524.256 meters. This will add approximately 100 TMC additional water to the storage capacity of the reservoir.
The third phase of the project also includes nine sub-projects. A total of 1,33,867 acres of land is required for this. According to the Economic Survey of Karnataka 2025-26, this includes 75,563 acres of land for the submerged area from the Almatti backwaters, 6,467 acres for rehabilitation centers and 51,837 acres for the canal network of nine project sub-components.
Big change in compensation rate
The compensation rate for affected land under UKP-3 was earlier fixed at ₹2 lakh per acre. Later the government increased it to ₹40 lakh per acre for irrigated land and ₹30 lakh per acre for dry land.
The report related to the 2026-27 budget of the Karnataka government also informed that compensation for the submerged area of UKP-III has been fixed at ₹ 40 lakh per acre on irrigated land and ₹ 30 lakh per acre on dry land.
In the Economic Survey also the same rates are recorded for the submergence area of Almatti Reservoir. It states that land acquisition is to be done under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Land acquisition completed in 18 villages
According to the government, land acquisition in 18 villages under UKP-3 has been completed. At the same time, the acquisition of about 71,284 acres of land is still pending, which belongs to 166 villages.
Some disputes related to land acquisition are pending in the courts. The government is trying to resolve disputes in such cases through Lok Adalats. Many cases related to land acquisition are still pending in the courts of Karnataka.
Emphasis also on rehabilitation of affected families
UKP-3 is not a project limited to land acquisition alone. Rehabilitation and resettlement is also an important part of the large scale land and structures affected.
According to the Economic Survey of Karnataka, a large number of project affected families in rural and urban areas are to be rehabilitated under UKP-III. The survey mentioned 1,17,669 project affected families in rural areas and 3,584 project affected families in urban areas.
Instructions also for farmers affected by Ramdurg tank
After the UKP-3 meeting, Minister Cheluvarayaswamy held a separate meeting regarding the acquisition of land affected by the backwater of Ramadurg Tank in Govindapalli and Kardigudda villages of Devdurg taluk.
He assured to take necessary steps regarding compensation to the affected farmers. Officials were directed to conduct a detailed study of the affected villages and prepare a report on the possibilities of providing compensation for 243.43 acres of land.
What will happen next?
The Karnataka government is now preparing to proceed with land acquisition under UKP-3 in a phased and proportionate manner. Immediate priority is being given to those areas where the acquisition process is already underway and the families whose compensation is pending.
The project will require a large amount of land acquisition and rehabilitation due to plans to increase the capacity of the Almatti reservoir and provide additional water storage. The government has emphasized on carrying forward the compensation distribution, land acquisition and rehabilitation process as per the rules.