Crops in 378.3 hectares damaged in recent rains in Mandya: Minister

Minister for Agriculture B.C. Patil on Monday said crops in 378.3 hectares in Mandya have been damaged in the recent rains, as the district recorded 1,077.7 mm rain as against the normal of 698.9 mm.

Speaking to reporters after launching various development works at V.C. Farm in Mandya district, he said there is no shortage of fertilizers in the district as about 63,031 tonnes had been distributed in Mandya alone.

So far, 32,437 tonnes of different varieties of fertilizers are in stock.

He said scholarships from ₹2,000 to ₹11,500 are now given to children of farmers pursuing PU, degree, PG, and professional courses under the Raitha Vidyanidhi scheme.

Under the CM’s students’ fund, 10 lakh girl children of farmers studying in Classes VIII, IX, and X got scholarships to the tune of ₹469 crore.

Mr. Patil said ₹494.99 crore had been disbursed under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme in Mandya district. As many as 2,70,572 beneficiaries have enrolled under the scheme. Loans up to ₹19.16 crore had been disbursed to 67 farm entrepreneurs.

In the district, 31,687 farmers have availed insurance for crops on 10,832 hectares. Out of ₹137 crore premium paid last year, they received ₹2,087 crore relief. A total of 47,286 hectares of land was covered under crop insurance by 55,571 farmers in the last three years.

Earlier, Mr. Patil launched development works and laid foundation stones for works amounting to ₹10.5 crore at V.C. Farm.

In his address to students, the Minister advised them to become entrepreneurs as there was a lot of potential in the farm sector. The government too is working on introducing schemes to encourage entrepreneurship in the farm sector.

The students must develop skills that are essential to become entrepreneurs, he advised.

A sum of ₹10,000 crore has been set aside in the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and funding can be availed from it for becoming entrepreneurs, he said.

The Minister said the farmers’ song (Raitha Geethe) in every event held at the Universities of Agricultural Sciences will be made mandatory.