Karnataka seeks aid package for farmers

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) The Karnataka Government have sought a Rs 6,903 crore package from the Centre for implementing various farmer welfare schemes in the state to check the incidence of suicides.

State Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashempur, who is here to meet Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Food Processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahai on this issue, told newspersons that the central leaders were very much alive to the problems faced by the farmers of the state.

Noting that the Centre had declared only six districts of the state eligible for relief announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said they had been told that the severely-affected districts of northern Karnataka did not figure in the list and they too should be added to the list.

''They (the Centre) were apprised that the the state had provided with seeds subsidised to the extent of Rs 83 crores since the offset of early monsoons but the rains had failed in 17 districts of the state causing concern. Even in districts facing severe floods in Krishna basin did not receive rainfall,'' Mr Kashempur said.

He said he had told Mr Sahai that the state government had fixed on agro-processing as a thrust area and the state produced 45 lakh mt of fruits and an equal quantum of vegetables.

''The central government has plans to invest Rs 10,000 crores during the next 10 years for agro-processing for value addition as well for boosting exports. This measure would help the farmers to overcome the problems faced for generations,'' he added.

The minister said central leaders were apprised of the measures taken by the government to help the farmers in distress including giving them loans at four per cent through cooperatives. ''This effort deserves us additional assistance from the Centre,'' he said.

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