Karnataka's 92 crore Cauvery Aarti stalls as finance department flags fund crunch
The Congress-led Karnataka government's plan to hold a grand 'Cauvery Aarti' near the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in Mandya district, modelled on the iconic Ganga Aarti has hit a funding roadblock.The Water Resources Department has drawn up a proposal to build basic infrastructure for the ritual and pegged the cost at Rs 92.30 crore. The ambitious project is to be executed by the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL), under the capital account head from the grants provided.advertisementHowever, the Finance Department flagged that the Rs 92 crore proposed in the draft Cabinet note exceeds the amount approved by the Board of Directors. 'In this context, approval for new works is not permissible," the department has said, advising that the matter be placed before the Cabinet for a final call.
As per a note from the Finance Department dated April 22, 2025, accessed exclusively by India Today, the required funds are currently not available. The note highlights CNNL's existing liability of Rs 9,357 crore, with only Rs 1,670 crore allocated this year — leaving an outstanding liability of Rs 7,687 crore for the next year. On top of that, Rs 2,254 crore worth of bills remain unpaid.Zooming out, the Water Resources Department as a whole is staring at a massive liability of Rs 99,899 crore. Even after fully using this year's grant, dues of Rs 87,886 crore will carry over to next year. In addition, Rs 17,092 crore worth of bills remain pending.advertisementIn response, the administrative department has maintained that it is essential to undertake this project to provide necessary infrastructure for Cauvery Aarti in Srirangapatna and has decided to move the proposal to the Cabinet for approval.
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