Kumaraswamy announces raising of Agrl Revolving Fund

Bangalore, Aug 15 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today announced raising of Agricultural Revolving Fund (ARF) to Rs 1,000 crore from the present Rs 400 crore.

Speaking after unfurling the National Flag on the occasion of the Independence Day at the Manicshaw Parade ground here, he expressed concern over the large number of farmers committing suicide and exhorted the farming community not to get panic as the government was taking streneous efforts to end their woes.

Referring to the government initiative to amend the provisions of the Karnataka Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act (APMC), Mr Kumarasamy said, ''it was done to help farmers in getting remunerative prices for their produces.'' Appealing to the Centre to contribute 50 per cent to the ARF, being utilised for market intervention at the time of fall in the prices to help farmers, he said nearly Rs 4000 crore had been spent for providing irrigation facilities and bringing more than 23 lakh hectares of land under irrigation in the last 18 months after the Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government came to power.

The state government was planning to set up a Food and Vegetables Marketing Federation similar to Milk Federation to encourage horticulture products and better price to the growers.

Asserting that the economy was put on strong footing for overall development, he said the State was moving ahead with commendable achievements after setting definite goals for building infrastructure facilities in irrigation, roads and bridges, urban and rural development while laying special emphasis on uplift of the poor, minorities and oppressed classes of the society.

Priority was accorded to strengthen the education system, he said adding that the government was planning to set up at least one engineering college in every district.

An investment proposal worth more than Rs 90,250 crore, to generate over 7.72 lakh new jobs had been cleared, he said, adding that over 18,000 acre of government lands worth more than Rs 30,000 crore usurped by land grabbers were identified and punitive actions were initiated against them The government was contemplating to carve out two more new districts--Chikkodi and Yadagir-- after bifurcating Belgaum and Gulbarga respectively, he said.

A thick security cover was thrown around the ground.

UNI