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Karnataka government has received environmental clearance for expanding the command area of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project (UKIP) to provide irrigation facilities for the drought-prone areas in three districts – Bijapur, Bagalkot and Raichur – at a cost of Rs 3,710 crore. 

Presently, UKIP is irrigating 6,22,000 hectares of command area, providing irrigation facilities to desert areas of Bijapur district and drought-prone areas of Bagalkot, Gulbarga, Yadagir and Raichur districts in northern Karnataka. To eradicate regional imbalances, state-run Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd (KBJNL) has proposed expansion of the command area of UKIP to provide irrigation facilities for adjacent areas. 

The modernisation proposal involves lifting of water from Krishna river directly at four places without constructing any structures across the river. "The Union Environment Ministry has given the environment clearance to the Rs 3,710 proposal for modernising the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project in Karnataka. The clearance has been given subject to compliance of certain conditions," a senior government official said.