The State Cabinet, which on Thursday held a special meeting at Male Mahadeshwara Hills (M.M. Hills), a major pilgrimage town in Chamarajanagar district, approved development projects worth ₹3,647.62 crore, with a focus on works in the Mysuru Revenue division, primarily Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who presided over the meeting, said the Cabinet approved 78 subjects, which is significant for accelerating development in the division. “The Cabinet approved works worth ₹3,647.62 crore. Opposition claims that funds are being diverted to the guarantee schemes are baseless. Do you think we would approve projects without securing funds?” the Chief Minister asked, countering the allegations. Irrigation projects Mr. Siddaramaiah said the approvals granted for major and minor irrigation works alone amount to ₹1,787 crore. Four subjects pertaining to the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes, costing ₹203 crore, were approved, he added. A sum of ₹210 crore had been approved for addressing the human-animal conflict in Chamarajanagar district. Rail barricades would be installed along the forest borders to address the conflict with elephants, said the Chief Minister. For addressing the long-standing drinking water issues in the division, a sum of ₹315 crore had been approved, the Chief Minister said, while announcing to upgrade the taluk hospital at Kollegal into a 250-bed district hospital at a cost of ₹85 crore, with Chamarajanagar already having the hospital attached to the Government Medical College. The project of electrifying the tribal haadis (hamlets) of Chamarajanagar district would be completed at a cost of ₹56 crore, he said. One of the key demands for promoting tourism in the division has been sanctioned, with the Cabinet approving projects worth ₹300 crore. Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Cabinet agreed to establish the “Manteswamy, Rachappaji and Siddappaji Development Authority” at Chikkalur in Chamarajanagar district. A new cricket stadium would come up on the outskirts of Mysuru at Yelwal, and the land for it would be acquired and transferred to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), the Chief Minister announced. Badanaval village The Cabinet also resolved to develop Badanaval village in Chamarajanagar district, where Mahatma Gandhi had visited, at a cost of ₹40 crore. A sum of ₹20 crore would be released this year and the remaining next year, the Chief Minister said, recollecting the visit of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and other Congress leaders to Badavanal, which has a century-old khadi spinning centre, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Considering the demand for the expansion of the runway of Mysuru airport, the Cabinet approved ₹101 crore for land acquisition. As announced in the Budget, the Cabinet gave its nod for establishing a museum at the old DC’s office in Mysuru at a cost of ₹30 crore. The Cabinet passed a resolution condemning the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and expressed condolences over the deaths. It also expressed condolences on the demise of Pope Francis.