Mangaluru: Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda appealed to farmers in the region to make use of Krishi Bhagya, the state government’s ambitious scheme, which has now been extended to coastal belt. At the launch of the scheme meant to encourage farmers to adopt ’Krishi Honda’ and mechanised farming method with a thrust on transplantation of paddy saplings with the help of rotavator at Nada village in Belthangady taluk, the minister elaborated on advantages of the scheme.

Beneficiaries Cheluvamma, wife of Lakshmegowda, Nada village, became the first woman to avail of the benefit, with agriculture pond built in the land attached to her house. The pond measuring 10 metre x10 metre is three metre deep, with a capacity to store 220 cubic metres (CMT) of water. It is sufficient for an acre of land against her 3.4 acres of land.

While the government provides 80% subsidy towards total expenditure of Rs 23,957 on building the pond, she has to bear the remaining expenditure of 20%.Similarly, farmer Ajith Kumar Ariga reaped the benefit of mechanised paddy sowing. The minister himself demonstrated the method of mechanised farming, at the land.
MLA Vasanth Bangera, also the chairman of Karnataka Small Industries Development Corporation, Zilla Panchayat president Meenakshi Shanthigodu, vice-president Kasturi Panja, Director of Agriculture B Y Srinivas and other officials were present.

The minister added that out of 745 Raitha Samparka Kendras, very few were functioning in their own buildings when the Congress took over from BJP. However at present, 400 Raitha Samparka Kendras have own buildings, while the work for another 350 structures are underway. The proposal to start of agriculture colleges at Ankola, Brahmavar, Gangavati, Tumkur and Ballari is before the government.

The tarpaulins that were made available for the farmers was priced at Rs 2,800 during the BJP government. However, the Congress government has ensured it to the farmers at Rs 1,700. Similarly, the amount is also increased from Rs 26,000 to Rs 1.21 lakh, he said.