Date:21/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/21/stories/2006122118060500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Farmers' Day on Saturday

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Government has decided to celebrate a Farmers' Day in all districts and taluk headquarters on Saturday.

Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashempur told presspersons here on Wednesday that a function would be organised at the Banquet Hall of the Vidhana Soudha to present Krishi Pandit and Krishi awards.

The awards would be given to 20 farmers at the district level and 173 farmers at the taluk level.

Mr. Kashempur said 134 farmers had committed suicide since April last year. A committee set up to sanction compensation had settled 49 cases and rejected 43.

He said the Government had proposed bringing an amendment to the Moneylenders Act to ban money-lending operations by private parties.

Many farmers had committed suicide unable to repay the debt to moneylenders, he claimed.