As the State is in the grip of a severe drought owing to deficit rainfall, the State government is considering hiking the incentive for milk producers from Rs. 4 to Rs. 5 a litre.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is on a tour to collect first-hand information pertaining to the severity of the drought situation in the State, visited Ramanagaram district on Wednesday.
Accompanied by elected representatives and district level officials, he visited Mayaganahalli, Sugganahalli, Bejjarahalli Katte and Padarahalli villages to interact with the farmers and to inspect dried fields.
Mr. Siddaramaiah inaugurated the 63rd National Cooperative Week at the Ramanagaram District Stadium later in the day.
Addressing the gathering, he said that 139 of 176 taluks in the State have been declared ‘drought-hit’ and the State government is committed to provide succour to the farming community through drought-relief measures.“Farmers should not end their lives owing to financial constraints. Rather, they should utilise the government sponsored schemes. The government has already implemented 120 of its 165 poll-promises,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Loan waiver
Urging the Union government to waive off 50 per cent of loans of farmers from nationalised banks, the Chief Minister said that the previous UPA government had waived off Rs. 76,000 crore worth of loans of farmers. The present government should take a similar stand.
A. Manju, Minister for Sericulture and Animal Husbandry, said that he would soon convene a meeting of 14 milk unions of the State to discuss hiking the incentive for milk producers.
At least 23 lakh farmers across the State are involving in animal husbandry and are producing 70 lakh litres of milk every day.
The decision would improve their financial conditions, he said.
Energy Minister and Ramanagaram district in-charge D.K. Shivakumar, D.K. Suresh, MP, and others were present.
Earlier, Mr. Siddaramaiah inaugurated the newly constructed Deputy Commissioner’s office complex on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway in Ramanagaram town.
