Minister for Textiles, Sugarcane Development and Sugar Shivanand S. Patil has said that the government was committed to develop all the 170 APMCs in the State.
He was speaking after the ground breaking ceremony for development projects of the APMC market at Begur in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district on Friday.
Mr. Patil said his Ministry has been allocated ₹370 crore this year to take up various development works and ₹6 crore will be utilized for shoring up the infrastructure of the APMC market in Begur. If need be, additional funds will also be released, he added.
Referring to the demands aired by the sugarcane cultivators, the Minister said private sugar mills will be directed to expeditiously process the arrears due to the farmers and steps will be taken in this regard. Mr. Patil also cautioned against commission sought by agents and said that the government has already rescinded the license of such agents while claiming that measures are in place for the overall development of the APMCs.
The Minister also urged the farmers to switch to scientific agricultural practices to reap higher profits and increase their income. Switching to modern methods and cultivating multiple crops in an year will shore up the income, the Minister added.
Mr. Patil said farmers should eschew traditional farming methods and accept scientific farming as it will benefit them.
Gundlupet MLA Ganesh Prasad, APMC chairman Shivaprakash, and others were present.
