Minister for Agriculture, Krishna Byregowda hinted that the government would double the funds for Krishi Bhagya Scheme to reach the farmers in hobli level from next year.
Mr. Byregowda interacting with the farmers after inspecting the storage tank built under the scheme here in Kapnoor village in Kalaburagi on Tuesday, he said that the Krishi Bhagya Scheme had been implemented in 107 taluk to construct 6000 storage tanks in the state.
Adding that the Krishi Bhagya scheme resulted in a success, the government would enhance the funds for Krishi Bhagya schemes to reach more than 20,000 beneficiaries in the state .At present the government earmarked Rs.500 crore for the project. The government had released Rs.20 crore for the Krishi Bhagya scheme to Kalaburagi district in I st Phase, he added.
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Mr. Byregowda said that the state government has extended subsidies to beneficiaries for constructing storage water tanks to conserve rain water for utilisation during rain deficit.
In the scheme, he said, around 90 percent subsidy was given to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes beneficiaries and 80 per cent to the general category beneficiaries.
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Inaugurating the Agriculture Equipment centre at Aurad (B) village in Kalaburagi district here on Tuesday Mr. Byregowda said government has allocated Rs.70 crore for establishing Agriculture Equipment Centres across the state, he said each centre would be given Rs.75 lakhs to purchase farming machines.
He added the centres would provide services from renting farm machinery to providing scientific inputs to farmers. The farmers, who could not afford to buy costly equipments, can get the assistance at the centres.
To mitigate the labour problem and to expedite the mechanisation in farm works the Agriculture Department has started establishing Agriculture Equipment and Services Centres all over the state, Mr Byregowda said.
The centre would also provide costly machinery such as power weeders, disc plough, thrashers and even the tractors at low rent to farmers. He instructed officials to avail equipments at uniform rent tariff to all farmers.
EOm/