Shivakumar raises Mekedatu, AIIMS Raichur & 18 projects with PM Modi
Synopsis
Karnataka CM Shivakumar handed PM Modi a 18-point demand list — from the long-stalled Mekedatu reservoir and ₹5,300 crore in unreleased Upper Bhadra funds to a ₹26,000 crore Bengaluru grant and an AIIMS at Raichur. The letter is a pointed public audit of what Karnataka says the Centre owes it.
Key Takeaways
Shivakumar met PM Narendra Modi on 11 June in New Delhi , submitting a letter on 18 pending projects .
Shivakumar sought expeditious clearance for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir on the Cauvery River , saying legal hurdles from Tamil Nadu have been resolved. ₹5,300 crore promised in Union Budget 2023-24 for the Upper Bhadra Project remains unreleased after three years .
A special central grant of ₹26,000 crore was sought for Bengaluru 's infrastructure, including Metro phases, suburban rail, and a high-speed rail corridor.
Approval for an AIIMS at Raichur and ₹25,000 crore annual support for the backward Kalyana Karnataka region under Article 371(J) were also demanded.
The CM claimed Karnataka had received no major new National Highway projects in 12 years despite its economic contributions.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday, 11 June met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and submitted a detailed letter pressing the Centre to expedite approvals, release pending funds, and advance 18 key infrastructure and development projects stalled at the Union Government level. Shivakumar said recurring delays were directly undermining the state's development priorities.
Water Disputes and Irrigation Projects
At the top of Shivakumar's agenda was the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the Cauvery River. He urged the Centre to fast-track appraisal and approval, noting that legal objections raised by Tamil Nadu had been addressed following recent Supreme Court orders.
The Chief Minister also pressed for notification of the award of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II), citing Karnataka's heavy investment in the Upper Krishna Project and its need to utilise its allocated share. Separately, he flagged that ₹5,300 crore promised in the Union Budget 2023-24 for the Upper Bhadra Project had not been released despite three years having passed — funds he described as critical for drought-prone central Karnataka and relief for lakhs of farmers.
Shivakumar further sought early forest and wildlife clearances for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala projects under the Mahadayi basin, intended to address drinking water needs of Hubballi-Dharwad, and requested central assistance worth more than ₹11,000 crore for irrigation and flood-management projects submitted under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Flood Management schemes.
On the proposed Inter-Linking of Rivers programme, the Chief Minister demanded Karnataka's 'rightful share', seeking at least 40–45 TMC of water under the Godavari-Cauvery and Bedti-Varada river-linking projects.
Bengaluru's Infrastructure Demands
A substantial portion of the letter focused on Bengaluru. Shivakumar requested a special central grant of ₹26,000 crore for the city, arguing its outsized contribution to the national economy warranted dedicated investment to sustain global competitiveness.
He sought Cabinet approval for the Bengaluru Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) — already cleared by the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) — and pressed for expedited funding for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project and early implementation of the Bengaluru-Mumbai High-Speed Rail Corridor.
The Chief Minister also pushed for approvals covering multiple phases of the Bengaluru Metro Rail project, including Phase-3, Phase-3A, and revised cost estimates for Phase-2, as well as permission for a proposed double-decker Metro and flyover corridor. He additionally requested approval for Regional Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) corridors linking Bengaluru with Mysuru, Kanakapura, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapura, and Kolar.
National Highways, Energy and Rural Grants
Shivakumar claimed Karnataka had not received any major new National Highway projects in the last 12 years despite its economic contribution, and called for pending highway projects to be sanctioned without further delay.
He urged the Centre to expedite environmental, forest, and wildlife clearances for the 2,000 MW Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project, calling it a nationally significant energy-storage initiative aligned with India's renewable energy targets.
On rural finance, Shivakumar sought the release of ₹2,860 crore in pending 15th Finance Commission grants for Gram Panchayats for 2025-26.
Kalyana Karnataka: AIIMS and Regional Development
For the historically backward Kalyana Karnataka region, the Chief Minister requested dedicated annual financial support of ₹25,000 crore under the spirit of Article 371(J) of the Constitution, and sought the establishment of at least one public sector undertaking in every district of North Karnataka.
He also appealed for early approval of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Raichur, arguing it would significantly improve healthcare access in the region.
Karnataka's Broader Argument
Concluding the letter, Shivakumar argued that Karnataka had consistently played a responsible role in India's growth — contributing through information technology, manufacturing, agriculture, and services — but that repeated delays in approvals and fund releases had created 'a perception of inequity'. He said resolving these issues would reinforce cooperative federalism. 'The people of Karnataka look forward with hope and confidence to the Union Government's intervention in resolving these issues,' he stated. The ball is now in the Centre's court, and Karnataka will be watching how many of these 18 demands receive a concrete response.
Point of View
300 crore Upper Bhadra lapse is the most damaging detail: a Budget promise three years old and still unmet is hard to defend on cooperative federalism grounds. The Mekedatu demand, meanwhile, is a perennial Karnataka rallying point, and its inclusion signals that Shivakumar is playing to both Delhi and his home gallery. The real test is whether any of these 18 items move from letter to sanction — or whether this becomes another entry in Karnataka's long ledger of unresolved Centre-state grievances.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Karnataka CM Shivakumar demand from PM Modi?
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar submitted a letter to PM Narendra Modi on 11 June listing 18 pending projects requiring central intervention, covering irrigation, infrastructure, transportation, healthcare, and regional development. Key demands included Mekedatu clearance, release of ₹5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project, a ₹26,000 crore grant for Bengaluru, and an AIIMS at Raichur.
What is the Mekedatu project and why is it significant?
The Mekedatu balancing reservoir is a proposed dam project on the Cauvery River in Karnataka, designed to store water and meet Bengaluru's drinking water needs. Karnataka has long sought central approval, and Shivakumar noted that legal objections from Tamil Nadu have been addressed following recent Supreme Court orders.
Why has the Upper Bhadra Project funding been delayed?
The Centre had promised ₹5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project in the Union Budget 2023-24, but the funds have not been released despite three years passing. Shivakumar stressed the project is critical for drought-prone central Karnataka and for providing relief to lakhs of farmers.
What infrastructure projects did Shivakumar seek for Bengaluru?
Shivakumar requested a ₹26,000 crore special central grant for Bengaluru, Cabinet approval for the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR), funding for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project, early implementation of the Bengaluru-Mumbai High-Speed Rail Corridor, approvals for Metro Phase-3, Phase-3A, and Phase-2 cost revisions, a double-decker Metro corridor, and RRTS corridors to five cities.
What is the significance of the AIIMS demand for Raichur?
An AIIMS at Raichur would be the first major central medical institution in the Kalyana Karnataka region, one of the most historically backward areas of the state. Shivakumar argued it would improve healthcare access and support broader regional development in a zone that receives special constitutional recognition under Article 371(J).
