Minister for Agriculture N. Cheluvarayaswamy on Friday said around seven lakh farmers in the State have received ₹475 crore crop insurance amount for having lost their crops.
Speaking after inaugurating the Krishi Mela and a farm expo at Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri in Nagamangala in Mandya district, the Minister, who launched other initiatives as part of the event at the BGS Sabha Bhavan in Sri Adichunchanagiri Math, said only two percent of farmers – about 20 lakh farmers - have insured their crops, availing crop insurance.
In view of acute drought last year, ₹1,000 crore crop insurance amount will be disbursed to aggrieved farmers in the coming days, he disclosed.
Suggesting that the benefits of mechanization of farming and farm research must be easily available to farmers for their welfare, Cheluvarayaswamy, who is the Minister in charge of Mandya, said the agriculture universities and the departments have to greater role to play in this regard and support farmers to the fullest so that they can secure maximum returns from agriculture practices.
Despite the fact that around 70 per cent of the country’s population was engaged in agriculture, a majority of farmers are economically backward and their welfare is the duty of the government and the society, he argued.
In memory of Sri Balagangadharanatha Swami, the Adichunchanagiri Mutt was planning to establish a college of agriculture and the efforts will be realised soon, the Minister added.
Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said the recently held International Millet Fair in Bengaluru was very successful and farmers took part actively in the initiative. Value addition of farm products can attract a bigger market as many agreements were signed for collaborations and marketing/promotion of millet-based products at the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Sri Nirmalanandanatha Swami of Sri Adichunchanagiri Math advised farmers to take up secondary farming and explore value addition of farm products.
Like in IT and BT sectors, technological innovations were happening rapidly in the agriculture sector, and the farm innovations need to be adopted by the farmers for their economic progress, the seer said.
The seer also said that the green revolution changed the country’s profile, and more developments need to happen in the farm sector.
While stating that the math will always stand for farmers’ empowerment, the seer said the math was known for Anna and Shikshana Dasoha and acknowledged farmers for inspiring the initiatives.
Agriculture commissioner Y.S. Patil said the Agriculture Minister aims to make farmers entrepreneurs, ending the middlemen interventions to a large extent and added that everyone in this sector will be behind the Minister for realising the aim.
On the occasion, lectures on various topics were delivered at the krishi mela by experts from the field of agriculture and the agriculture universities.
Senior officials including Deputy Commissioner Kumara, Agriculture University Vice-Chancellor Suresh, and others were present.
