BENGALURU: Former Chief Minister SM Krishna, branded as an elite politician with a scientific approach, tackled agrarian and rural issues based on reports of experts and bureaucrats.
Projects like cloud seeding when the state was reeling under severe drought, did not yield the expected results, but the midday meal scheme providing free nutritious meals to children in government schools had an enormous impact.
Midday meals were implemented in seven districts in North Karnataka in 2002-03, and became a game-changer in the lives of children of farm hands and agriculture labourers, as the dropout rate declined.
“Children of farm labourers and BPL families would never attend classes in the afternoon when there were no midday meals. But after the scheme was launched, they remained in school.
The scheme was streamlined after some hiccups. The dropout rate, which was over 40 per cent, was stabilised at 18 per cent, and later extended to all districts of the state.
The Stree Shakti programme and the formation of SHGs empowered women socially and economically. The Yeshasvini Health Insurance scheme gave over 40 lakh farmers access to affordable healthcare, which Krishna launched after consultations with experts, especially Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, noted cardiac surgeon.
Interestingly, it was Krishna who set up an expert committee headed by GS Paramashivaiah to give a report on the Nethravati river diversion project, which eventually turned out to be the Yettinahole project.
In August 2003, Krishna’s cabinet announced a package of Rs 856 crore, including Rs 331 crore waiver against electricity bill dues of irrigation pumpsets.
When the Playwin online lottery was introduced, he came in for a lot of criticism, including from late seer of Siddaganga Mutt Sri Shivakumara Swamiji and former Union minister Jaffer Sharief. In the assembly, Krishna said he would consider banning the lottery if experts authenticate its impact.
“It’s our government which introduced crop insurance and MSP for ragi. We gave an impetus to research in biotechnology as SM Krishna granted Rs 5 crore, following recommendations by experts under the chairmanship of Dr MS Swaminathan,” claimed former minister TB Jayachandra, who held the agriculture portfolio in the Krishna cabinet.
When allegations arose against Jayachandra with regard to procurement of pesticides for coconut mite disease, Krishna removed him from the Cabinet and made him the state’s special representative in New Delhi, but later inducted him into the cabinet and gave him charge of his home district Mandya.