Bengaluru (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in poll bound Karnataka's northern districts of Yadgiri and Kalaburagi on Thursday to lay foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth more than Rs 10,800 crores.

This will be the second such visit by the Prime Minister to Karnataka this month. He was in Hubballi on January 12 to inaugurate the National Youth Festival, during which he had held a massive road show.

According to an official release, at around 12 noon, in Kodekal, Yadgiri district, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various developmental projects related to irrigation, drinking water besides a National Highway development project.

Later, at around 2:15 PM, Modi will reach Malkhed, Kalaburagi District, where he will distribute title deeds (hakku patra) to the eligible beneficiaries of newly declared revenue villages and also lay the foundation stone for a National Highway project.

The visit also gains significance, as the ruling BJP prepares for assembly polls in Karnataka and has set a target of winning a minimum of 150 out of total 224 seats which will go for polls by May.

Aimed at providing safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all households, Modi will lay the foundation stone for Yadgir multi-village drinking water supply scheme under Jal Jeevan Mission at Kodekal in Yadgiri District, also a Water Treatment Plant of 117 MLD will be built under the scheme.

The project, which costs more than Rs 2,050 crore, will provide potable water to about 2.3 lakh households of more than 700 rural habitations and three towns of Yadgiri district.

During the programme, the PM will also inaugurate Narayanpur Left Bank Canal Extension Renovation and Modernisation Project (NLBC ERM).

The project, with a canal carrying capacity of 10,000 cusecs, can irrigate 4.5 lakh hectares of command area. It will benefit more than three lakh farmers in 560 villages of Kalaburgi, Yadagir and Vijaypur districts. The total cost of the project is about Rs 4,700 crores.

Later, he will also lay the foundation stone of the 65.5 km section of NH-150C. This 6-lane Greenfield road project is part of Surat Chennai Expressway. It is being built at a cost of about Rs 2,000 crore.

Further pointing out that about 1,475 unrecorded habitations have been declared as New Revenue villages in five districts of Kalaburagi, Yadgiri, Raichur, Bidar and Vijayapura, the release said, at Malkhed village of Sedam Taluka of Kalaburagi district, the Prime Minister will distribute title deeds (hakku patra) to the eligible beneficiaries of these newly declared revenue villages.

The issuance of title deeds to more than 50,000 beneficiaries, who are largely from the marginalised and vulnerable communities from the SC, ST and OBC, is a step to provide a formal recognition from the government for their land, and will make them eligible for receiving government services like drinking water, electricity, roads etc.

During the programme, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of the 71 km section of NH-150C. This 6 lane Greenfield road project is also part of Surat Chennai Expressway. It is being built at a cost of more than Rs 2,100 crore.

Surat Chennai Expressway will pass through six states- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. It will reduce the existing route from 1,600 Kms to 1,270 Kms.

The PM after finishing with his engagements in Karnataka will leave for Mumbai.

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka government told the High Court on Tuesday that the Governor does not have the authority to sanction the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA scam.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the State, argued before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind that the Governor’s decision to grant prosecution sanction raises a significant constitutional issue. "The Governor cannot approve the prosecution of a Chief Minister. If this precedent is set, it could lead to chaos," Sibal said.

The Bench issued notice on Siddaramaiah's appeal challenging a single-judge's decision to uphold the Governor’s sanction. The matter has been posted for further hearing on 25th January 2025.

The case pertains to allegations of corruption involving the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The Governor, Thawar Chand Gehlot, granted sanction on 26th July to prosecute Siddaramaiah based on complaints by activists TJ Abraham, Snehamai Krishna, and Pradeep Kumar SP. The complaints alleged that MUDA granted inflated compensation for 14 parcels of land to Siddaramaiah's wife, Parvathi, in exchange for the development of three acres of land gifted to her by her brother, Mallikarjuna Swamy.

Devaraju, the original owner of the land, expressed distress over being dragged into the case. Represented by Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, Devaraju urged the court to protect him, arguing that he had no connection to the political controversy.

The Bench assured him, stating, "You are like the lotus in murky water. We'll treat you separately." However, it declined to stay the criminal proceedings against him.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Siddaramaiah, contended that the Governor’s decision violated s.17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which mandates prior police inquiry before granting prosecution sanction. Singhvi also argued that the Governor must act on the advice of the council of ministers, barring cases of manifest illegality.

Senior Advocates KG Raghavan and Maninder Singh, representing the complainants, supported the Governor's decision. Meanwhile, the court declined to comment on a plea seeking a CBI probe into the scam, which is scheduled for a hearing on 10th December.