‘We shall discuss your problems and find ways to overcome them'

Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda has assured farmers that he will invite them to the Vidhana Soudha next month to discuss their problems.

“Vidhana Soudha is not restricted to legislators, it belongs to farmers also. Farmers will be invited to hold one-on-one discussions about their problems. Efforts will be made to propose solutions in the budget,” the Chief Minister said.

He was delivering the valedictory address at the 32nd krishi mela organised by the Sri Kshetra Dharmsthala Rural Development Project (SKDRP) at Hallikeri Gudleppa College Grounds here on Saturday.

He said a separate budget would be presented for agriculture this year too and additional funds would be allocated to the farm sector.

Milk prices

Referring to a resolution passed during the mela in which an increase of Rs. 5 for a litre of milk was sought to benefit farmers, Mr. Gowda said milk prices had already been increased keeping in mind the rise in milk production costs. “A proposal to increase the milk prices in another two months is before the Government. When we take a decision on that, the price paid to milk producers will also be increased,” he said.

The Government would write to the Prime Minister on extending the benefits of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to small and marginal farmers, he said.

The Chief Minister said Rs. 4 crore was sanctioned in the last budget for readymade garment units proposed to be set up by SKDRP in Haveri district. “We will release Rs. 2 crore immediately and the remaining amount subsequently,” he said.

Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, Public Works Minister C.M. Udasi, Minister for Water Resources Basavaraj Bommai, Shivakumar Udasi, MP, and Nehru Olekar, MLA, were among those present.

A large number of people from across the State attended the last day of the krishi mela.

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