Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Meets PM Modi, Pushes for Sugarcane Price Revision, AIIMS in Raichur, and Pending Funds

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss sugarcane pricing, AIIMS in Raichur, irrigation projects, and pending central funds.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press several key demands essential for the state’s farmers, infrastructure development, and disaster relief. The meeting comes amid ongoing concerns around central fund allocations and stalled approvals for major projects.

Sugarcane Pricing Crisis Tops the Agenda

With farmers in north Karnataka protesting for higher sugarcane procurement prices, Siddaramaiah urged the Prime Minister to revise the long-standing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sugar, which has remained fixed at ₹31 per kg.

To ease tensions, the state government recently mandated an additional payment of ₹100 per tonne of sugarcane — with the state covering ₹50 of the amount. However, Siddaramaiah stressed that this is only a temporary solution and insisted that the Centre step in with a permanent, sustainable pricing mechanism.

He sought:

• Immediate revision of the frozen sugar MSP

• Assured ethanol offtake from Karnataka’s distilleries

• Central approval for states to fix harvesting and transport charges

Push for AIIMS in Raichur

The CM reiterated Karnataka’s request for an AIIMS in Raichur, citing the region’s poor health indicators and high SC/ST and backward-class population. He informed the PM that:

• A detailed project report has already been submitted

• Land has been identified

• A government medical college is already functional — providing a foundation for AIIMS

Jal Jeevan Mission: Karnataka Flags Funding Gap

A major point of concern during the meeting was the alleged shortfall in the Centre’s contribution to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

According to the state:

• Karnataka has achieved over 86% functional tap water connections

• The Centre has a cumulative short release of ₹13,004.63 crore up to 2025–26

• No central funds have been released for 2025–26

• Karnataka has already advanced ₹1,500 crore from its own budget to avoid halting projects

• Bills worth ₹1,700 crore are pending, with another ₹2,600 crore in the pipeline

Siddaramaiah urged the PM to release the pending amount immediately to keep the mission on track.

Pending Approvals for Irrigation & Drinking Water Projects

The CM sought urgent intervention to clear long-delayed irrigation and water supply projects:

• Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir (Cauvery): Requested CWC’s expeditious approval

• Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal-II: Gazette notification pending for over a decade

• Upper Bhadra Project: Sought release of the ₹5,300 crore central assistance announced in the 2023–24 budget

• Kalasa Banduri Project: Requested forest and wildlife clearances from the Environment Ministry

These projects are critical for drinking water supply and irrigation in several districts, including the Hubballi–Dharwad region.

Flood Relief and Disaster Assistance

Siddaramaiah highlighted the severe floods caused by unprecedented rains this year. The state submitted two detailed memoranda to the Centre seeking support under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

Flood impact:

• 14.5 lakh hectares of crops damaged

• 19 lakh farmers affected

• Extensive damage to homes, roads, and schools

The CM requested:

• ₹614.9 crore for immediate rescue and relief

• ₹1,521.67 crore for reconstruction of public infrastructure

Looking Ahead

The Karnataka government expressed hope that the Centre will positively respond to its demands — many of which address both short-term crises and long-term developmental needs.