Rs 1,611 cr released for farm loan waiver in Karna till Jan 31

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala Wednesday said the JDS-Congress government has released Rs 1,611 crore towards the farm loan waiver schemes, benefiting 3.28 lakh ryots till January 31 this year and its implementation was being accelerated. "The implementation of the (crop loan waiver) scheme is being accelerated with an aim to cover all eligible crop loans in co-operative institutions and commercial banks," he said in his address to the joint legislature session, which was deemed as read following disruption by opposition BJP.

The farm loan waiver was a key electoral promise made by Chief Minister and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy in the run up to the last year assembly election. Oppsosition BJP has been accusing the JDS-Congress government of betraying the farmers after promising to waive Rs 53,000 crore worth loans, saying the benefit had not reached all the beneficiaries.

The Governor could not complete his address to the jointlegislature session in view of the protests by the BJP members who entered the Well of the House and alleged that he was beig "made to read lies". Vala's speech copy highlighted the achievements of the Kumaraswamy led coalition government ever since it assumed office.

Apart from the crop loan waiver, agriculture market reforms have helped farmers in realising 38 per cent more income, with online and unified market platform so far showing transaction of 5.48 crore tonnes of agriculture commodities worth Rs 1.21 lakh crore, the governor said. Expressing concern over the severe drought situation prevailing in the state, the governor said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was helpful in providing employment to 18.56 lakh families till January 31, this year.

"We intend to accelerate reforms in agricultural practicesthrough initiatives like zero budget natural farming and adoption of Israeli model. A special mission directorate hasbeen established to implement Israeli technology based farming," he said. Onthe Mekedatu balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project across Cauvery, which is being opposed by Tamil Nadu, Vala noted that theCentral Water Commission had given its consent for preparing a detailed project report.

Simplification of on-line facility for affidavit based land use diversion, introducing "Arogya Karnataka" for universal health coverage, improving drinking water facilties under'Jaladhare' scheme at a cost of Rs 53,000 crore and welfare of SCs, STs and BackwardCommunities were among a few major initiatives of the Kumaraswamy government, he said. In terms of investments, 1,958 projects with an investment of Rs 3.49 lakh crore were approved from 2014 to 2019. It will create job opportunities to 10.28 lakh people, the governor said.

Regarding Bengaluru, Vala said, impetus had been given to the suburban railway, Metro Rail project up to the KempegowdaInternational Airport and intelligent traffic managementsystem..

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