K'taka to establish Horticulture University in North Karnataka

Bangalore, July 31 (UNI) The Karnataka Government has decided to set up a Horticulture University in the Northern region of the state and identified over 719 acre of land at Navanagar near Bagalkot, the Legislative Council was informed today.

Replying to Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Aravinda Limbavali during Question Hour, Horticulture Minister Shashikanth A Naik said the State Government had earmarked Rs ten crore for the proposed university during this year's budget.

The Minister said the Government had appointed a special officer for setting up the university and a Bill in this regard was also being formulated.

Janata Dal (United)Member M P Nadagouda, intervening during the Minister's reply, expressed concern that the University was being set up at a place reserved for those who face eviction if the height of the Alamatti Dam across River Krishna in that district was raised to 524 metre.

To another question from Saleem Ahmed (Congess), the Minister said the State had received Rs 134.02 crore from the Centre for the National Horticulture Mission and spent Rs 96.07 crore in the last two years.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress of programmes under the Mission, he regretted that nobody, be it farmers' bodies or private entrepreneurs, had come forward to set up cold-storage units to preserve horticulture products during glut.

UNI