CM urges PM to clear Mekedatu project, withdraw Kasturirangan report
MYSURU: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday reiterated three major demands of Karnataka before Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking necessary clearances for the Mekedatu reservoir project, withdrawal of the recommendations of the Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats, and permission to utilise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds in accordance with the State Government’s guidelines to upgrade 1,000 government schools into Karnataka Public Schools.
Speaking at the inauguration of COSMOS-Mysuru Planetarium and Bharat Vann in Mysuru, Shivakumar stressed the need for cooperation between the Centre and the State to promote development and address Karnataka’s challenges. “The state Government is placing three important demands before the Prime Minister and hopes that they will be fulfilled,” he said.
Referring to the Mekedatu reservoir project, the Chief Minister said the Supreme Court had already ruled in favour of Karnataka and that the legal aspects of the issue had been settled. He urged the Centre to grant the final statutory clearances without further delay, describing the project as an important drinking water initiative.
Withdraw Kasturirangan report
On the Kasturirangan report, Shivakumar said the Karnataka Legislature had unanimously passed a resolution opposing its recommendations. Public opinion had been gathered and extensive consultations held in the affected regions. The Centre should respect the sentiments and ground realities of local people and withdraw the recommendations to ensure that their livelihoods were not affected.
Migration from villages
Highlighting the challenges in primary education, the Chief Minister said parents were increasingly migrating to urban areas in search of better educational opportunities for their children, leading to economic and demographic imbalances. Education- and employment-related migration had increased from 31 per cent in 2002 to 47 per cent in 2026, he said, warning that the figure could reach 70 per cent over the next two decades if the trend continued.
To prevent migration to cities and ensure quality education for every child in rural and urban areas, the Centre should take note of Karnataka’s CSR policy. The Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs must issue advisory guidelines encouraging companies to implement CSR projects in Karnataka in accordance with the State Government’s framework. Such a move would help upgrade 1,000 government schools into Karnataka Public Schools and further strengthen the public education system, he added.
Science centres
The CM said Bengaluru has emerged as a major hub of India’s space sector, with institutions such as the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) and ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) serving as the backbone of several important national space missions. The State Government is establishing science centres in Shivamogga, Raichur, Yadgir and Chikkamagaluru at a combined cost of approximately Rs 59 crore. Construction of the Shivamogga centre is almost complete, while work on the Raichur centre is progressing. Steps are also being taken to establish centres in Yadgir and Chikkamagaluru.
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics has made significant contributions to astronomy and solar science and played an important role in developing a key payload for the Aditya-L1 mission. Karnataka continues to play a crucial role in advancing research into new dimensions of space science, he said.
