The government will standby the farmers and uphold their collective interest under any circumstances be it drought or addressing agricultural issues, said N. Cheluvarayaswamy, Minister for Agriculture.
He was speaking at the Raitha Dasara programme in Mysuru on Friday. The Minister said poor rains and drought had resulted in a decline in power production but the government will purchase power from the neighbouring States to ensure that the farmers were not affected, the Minister said.
Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said that more than 200 taluks in Karnataka were affected by drought and hence in deference to the farmers’ sentiments the scale of Mysuru Dasara had been toned down and it was being held in a traditional manner without fanfare.
Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa lauded the contribution of the Mysuru maharajas in general and Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in particular and said that he encouraged agriculture, irrigation, and related activities to shore up the rural economy. The Congress too gave importance to irrigation and agriculture which led to food security and ushered in green revolution, the minister added.
Mr. Mahadevappa said the government would harness technology to address agricultural issues and strengthen the hands of the farmers and reiterated that the Congress in the State would uphold the interest of the farmers. The Minister for Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh called upon the farmers to adopt to new technology and said that sticking to old methods would not result in progress.
The organisers also felicitated a few progressive farmers on the occasion. Earlier, a colourful procession with folk artists and bullock carts was taken out to mark the inauguration.
