The State government has released Rs. 22 crore for constructing a barrage across the Tupparihalla rivulet, Minister in-charge of the district Vinay Kulkarni has said.
He was inaugurating a Krishi Abhiyan programme at Garag village near here on Thursday.
Mr. Kulkarni said that once the construction of the barrage was completed, the water would be diverted and stored in 10 tanks. There were plans to utilise the water for drip irrigation for nearly 800 acres of agriculture land.
To overcome labour shortage in the agriculture sector, the government had decided to give farm equipment on rent to farmers. This year, such centres would be opened at Garag, Amminbhavi and Kamalapur in Dharwad taluk. A sum of Rs. 75 lakh each would be given to the centres to procure farm equipment. A team of farmers had been formed to purchase farm equipment, the Minister said.
Mr. Kulkarni observed that the agriculture pond (krishi honda) scheme of the government was well received by farmers. It was aimed at harvesting rainwater and ease the water crisis. “This year, 2,000 agriculture ponds were constructed in the district and almost 80 per cent of the ponds have filled up in the recent rain,” he said. Mr. Kulkarni asked sugarcane growers to use water judiciously and adopt drip irrigation for sustainable growth.
Garag Gram Panchayat president Yallappa Borimani, Dharwad Taluk Panchayat president M.M. Bhavikatti, Muttappa Naikar, Ratna Patil, Kariyappa Madar, and Agriculture Department Joint Director T.S. Rudreshappa were present.
