Date:28/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/28/stories/2006122824910400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Staff shortage has hit horticulture mission'

Special Correspondent

nly Rs 34.3 crore of the Rs. 44.5 crore released by the Centre had been utilised by State State has utilised only Rs 34.3 crore of the Rs. 44.5 crore released by the Centre

BANGALORE: Existence of a large number of vacancies in the Horticulture Department for the past several years has affected implementation of the National Horticulture Mission in the State, Minister for Horticulture Shashikanth Naik has said.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Mr. Naik said the Centre had released Rs. 44.5 crore for the development of horticulture in 2005-06. But the State had utilised only Rs 34.3 crore. Staff shortage had hit the programme in the State. The Centre had released Rs. 133.5 crore in 2006-07, but only Rs 79.4 crore had been spent so far. It was recently that the State Cabinet had decided to fill 500 vacancies in the department, he said.

Mr. Naik said the mission was now covering 15 districts — Belgaum, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Koppal, Gulbarga, Uttar Kannada, Bangalore Rural, Kolar, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Hassan, Mysore, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. The funds would be used for expansion of area under horticultural crops and for providing infrastructure to producers.

The department had decided to appoint workers on a contract basis to fill vacant posts in the department. There was an urgent need to upgrade the department with the latest technology and create awareness among the farmers, he said.

As much as 50 per cent of horticulture crops was affected by drought in districts in north Karnataka. The State had exported horticultural products worth Rs. 2,529.07 crore in 2005-06, he said.