Wed Sep 10 16:12:25 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text.

**Summary:**

The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, announced a revised estimated cost of ₹87,818 crore for the Upper Krishna Project Phase-III. This project aims to increase the Almatti dam height, allowing for the storage of an additional 100 tmcft of water to irrigate 5.94 lakh hectares. A significant portion of the cost increase is attributed to land acquisition, with over 133,867 acres needed, including land that will be submerged. The cabinet will make a final decision on the project.

**News Article:**

**Karnataka Government Announces Revised ₹87,818 Crore Estimate for Upper Krishna Project Phase-III**

**BENGALURU, September 10, 2025** – The Karnataka government has significantly revised the estimated cost of the Upper Krishna Project Phase-III, now projecting it at ₹87,818 crore. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made the announcement on Wednesday following a high-level meeting with Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio.

The ambitious project aims to raise the height of the Almatti dam from 519 meters to 524 meters, enabling the storage of an additional 100 tmcft of water. This expansion is expected to provide irrigation facilities to approximately 5.94 lakh hectares of land.

A substantial portion of the revised cost is attributed to land acquisition, which has seen a dramatic increase from an initial estimate of ₹17,627 crore to a current revised cost of ₹40,557.09 crore. The project requires a total of 1,33,867 acres, including 75,563 acres that will be submerged by the dam’s backwaters. While land acquisition orders have been issued for 29,566 acres, the process for acquiring the remaining 59,354 acres is yet to begin.

The revised cost for civil works related to nine sub-projects is estimated at ₹25,122.53 crore. The Chief Minister indicated that the cabinet will make a final decision on the project in an upcoming meeting.

“By raising the dam height, we will ensure a significant boost to our irrigation capabilities, providing much-needed water to a vast area of land,” stated Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He also emphasized that land acquisition for submerged areas would be completed in a single phase to expedite the project.

The Upper Krishna Project Phase-III has been allocated 130 tmcft of water according to the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-2 verdict. The project is seen as crucial for improving agricultural productivity and water security in the region.

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