Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra said on Saturday that the government is expected to soon approve a ₹18-crore package for arecanut plantations hit by yellow leaf disease (YLD) in coastal and Malnad belts.
Speaking during his village stay programme at Kukkujadkka in Sullia taluk, he said the Horticulture Department has sent the package to the government for approval.
The village stay programme had been organised to address the grievances of people residing in the jurisdiction of Amara Mudnur and Amara Padnur Gram Panchayats in the same taluk. Earlier, an arecanut grower raised the issue pertaining to YLD at the meeting.
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The Deputy Commissioner said that the package proposes government assistance for cultivating alternative crops in the plantations hit by the YLD under the National Horticulture Mission. He said that growers have also sought compensation for losing arecanut palms because of YLD and this would be brought to the notice of the government.
Dr. Rajendra said that the district administration has planned to take up a drive to administer vaccine against COVID-19 at the doorstep of the disabled and those who can not make it to the vaccination sites due to health and age-related issues.
He said that Sullia taluk had only one active COVID-19 case and steps were being taken to declare the taluk COVID-free in some days.
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Minister in charge of Dakshina Kannada and Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport S. Angara said that a meeting would be held with Revenue Minister R. Ashok on Monday in connection with granting Kana, Bane and Kumki rights to farmers. Earlier the Cabinet had approved this proposal. But later, it did not become a reality. He said that another meeting would be held in Kukkujadkka on October 29 to dispose of the pending applications.
The Minister released a booklet containing statistics pertaining to the two gram panchayats. More than 130 applications were filed. Some of them were disposed of on the spot.