Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) Chairman D. Basavaraj has demanded that the Union government come forward to help farmers suffering from severe drought in the State.
Addressing reporters here on Monday, he stated that more than 145 taluks in the State were suffering from drought in the last four decades, and 164 cities and towns suffered from shortage of drinking water.
Compensation
The State government has already shown its concern towards the farmers by increasing the compensation amount, stopping recovery of loans and rescheduling loans extended to farmers.
Instead of conducting Raitha Chaitanya yatra and other programmes to gain sympathy of farmers for political gains, the BJP leaders should convince Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the condition of farmers in the State and appeal to him to announce a special package for drought-affected areas, and take steps to waive loans taken by farmers in nationalised banks, he demanded.
During his recent visit, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi agreed to raise the Kalasa-Bhanduri project issue in Parliament to pressure the Union government to intervene in the matter. So the BJP leaders in the state should also appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the importance of implementing the project in the interest of people in north Karnataka, he said.
Congress leaders Kadathi Tippesh, Nalkund Halesh, Mohammad Mujahid, D. Shivkumar and Harish were present.
