Southern States - Karnataka

Farmers in drought-hit taluks to get crop insurance

By Our Special Correspondent

SHIMOGA May 21. Farmers in the drought-affected taluks such as Sorab, Shikaripur, and Shimoga will get Rs. 15.20 crore as crop insurance this year, the district in-charge minister, Kagodu Thimmappa, said here on Monday.

Addressing presspersons, he said the State Government had announced partial or full remission of land revenue in 430 villages of Shimoga, Bhadravati, Shikaripur, and Sorab taluks.

Though the concession amounted to only Rs. 6.36 crore, it would be helpful in rescheduling the crop loans taken from cooperative societies.

In response to a direction from the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, he had ordered for the distribution of seeds at subsidised rates in Shikaripur, Shimoga, and Sorab taluks to the farmers with small and marginal holdings, he said.

He asked the farmers to collect seeds from 14 identified Raitha Samparka Kendras in these taluks.

Referring to the water scarcity in the drought-affected areas, the minister said there was no dearth of funds to provide potable water to these areas.

He said Rs. 88 lakh and 8,000 quintals of foodgrains supplied by the Union Government would be utilised for the employment generation scheme.

The executive officers of the taluk panchayats had been asked to monitor relief works, Mr. Thimmappa said.

It was proposed to develop Shivappa Nayak Palace in Shimoga at an estimated cost of Rs. 77 lakh on the lines of the Kuvempu Memorial at Kuppalli in Tirthahalli taluk.

The minister said Rs. 2.30 crore had been earmarked for the implementation of the "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan".

The amount would be utilised to provide drinking water and toilet facilities in schools.

Stating that nearly 11,000 children in the district had not been admitted to school, he appealed to the officials to take up an awareness campaign to persuade parents to send their children to school.

Mr. Thimmappa said gram panchayat officials had been asked to ensure the admission of children,who had not joined schools, before the specified period, and to report this to the district office by July so that follow-up action could be taken.

Of the 3,000 applications received prior to 1978 for regularisation of forest land, the committee concerned approved 1,600.

However, the cultivators had not been given the title deeds yet, he said. The committee had been instructed to issue orders with a specified time limit.

The officials had been asked to complete the survey of remaining forest land, which was under unauthorised cultivation, by July end.

The minister also reviewed the drought relief works being implemented in the district.

The Deputy Commissioner, Tushar Girinath, was present.

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