Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has said that Karnataka would be developed into a hub of organic farming in the coming days. He was speaking after inaugurating Subhiksha Organic Farmers’ Cooperative Society at a programme here on Monday.
Referring to the detrimental effects of the indiscriminate usage of chemical inputs for farming on soil as well as on human health, he said it was necessary to popularise organic farming. At present, around 50,000 farmers in Karnataka are engaged in organic farming. Each organic farmer should motivate at least ten others to take up organic farming and thereby enhance the total number of organic farmers in Karnataka to five lakh within a year, he said. Mr. Yediyurappa said the climate in Karnataka was conducive for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. As produce cultivated under chemical-free methods enjoy good demand in the international market, farmers can enhance their income by taking up organic farming.
Interacting with the farmers later, he said the State government was committed to provide necessary funds for research work to tackle yellow leaf and fruit rot diseases affecting the arecanut crop. Addressing the gathering, B.Y. Raghavendra, Shivamogga MP, said he would draw the attention of the Centre on the demand from the farmers to keep agriculture produce grown organically out of the purview of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Regarding sanctioning of land ownership rights for families displaced by the construction of a reservoir across Sharavati river near Linganamakki for hydel power generation, he said the confusion over the jurisdiction of land belonging to Revenue and Forest Departments where these families are rehabilitated has proved to be an impediment in sanctioning land ownership rights. He requested the Chief Minister to appoint a special officer from Department of Survey, Settlement and Land Records for the completion of the joint survey to identify the land belonging to both the departments after which the land ownership rights could be conferred for the displaced families expeditedly.
Laxman Savadi, Deputy Chief Minister; Araga Jnanendra, Chairman of Task Force on Arecanut; K.B. Ashok, Shivamogga Rural MLA; S. Rudre Gowda, MLC and Anand A.S., president of Subhiksha Society were present.
