In barren economy, BSY promises green shoots

Focuses on agri-infrastructure, gives Rs 10,000 to marginal farmers
In barren economy, BSY promises green shoots

MYSURU: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, doing the tightrope walk because of serious financial constraints, gave up making big-token announcements of loan waivers and freebies while presenting the state budget on Thursday, but allocated Rs 32,259 crore for agriculture and allied activities.

Yediyurappa, who presented his seventh budget too with a green shawl on his shoulder to stress his farmer credentials, introduced programmes to deliver seeds and pesticides at farmers’ doorsteps, clinics to conduct soil tests, cold storage facilities for 5,000 metric tonnes of farmers’ produce and better utilisation of the Centre’s Krishi Rail programmes to transport vegetables.

To help farmers who are in distress, the CM said that the government would raise Rs  2,500 crore revolving fund.

Though Yediyurappa never committed himself to a loan waiver, which was one of the biggest demands of farmer organisations and opposition parties, he came out with a token gesture of waiving the interest component on loans, and not to disappoint the farming community, he has announced Rs 10,000 relief for small and marginal farmers.

The government plans to consider agriculture and horticulture as an industry, open doors for contract and community farming, encourage water security and land banks, and focus on marketing to fill the long gap between farmers and consumers.

The allocation of Rs 2,600 crore to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana during 2020-2021 and Kisan credit card facility to all farmers will go a long way in enhancing the confidence of the community, experts said.

With people turning health-conscious and opting for millets, Yediyurapa has brought teff, chia and quinto under Siridhanyas and has allocated Rs  200 cr to promote organic farming.

Former vice-chancellor of Mysore University Prof Mahadevappa said that the CM has balanced the budget despite the financial constraints. He said that a lot of measures are required to encourage farmers to use research findings in the post-harvest season. “Nothing has been done to implement Swathinathan commission recommendations on fixing the price of farm produce,” he said, but welcomed the government’s attempts to encourage farmers to shift from traditional to horticulture crops, promote exports and conduct soil tests.

Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurbur Shanthakumar said that the budget is mum on loan waiver and assuring scientific price for farmers’ produce. He said that the interest waiver on agriculture machinery, improving infrastructure like cold storage facilities and services delivered at farmers’ doorsteps are good moves.

He feared that classifying agriculture as an industry would benefit those who indulge in contract farming.

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