The 8th annual general meeting of the zilla panchayat which was held here at the Craft Hall, on Saturday gave approval for Rs 53.61 crore for the year 2007-08.
   The meeting was presided by ZP President Roopa Niranjan Bale, where it was decided to pressurise the government to supply subsidised sowing seeds for the kahrif season, as per the requirement.
   There are altogether 1.61 lakh marginal and small farmers in the district, where seeds has to be supplied at 75 per cent subsidised rate. There is a requirement of 22,729 quintal of seeds to the district,where Rs 12.20 crore  proposal was submitted, out of which only Rs 2.14 crore was released in installment and Rs 3.52 crore was released in the second stage, informed Joint Director of Agriculture Hanumanthaiah.
   At the meeting it was also stressed upon to increase the staff at farmer contact centre at Raichur taluk. As a result of the summer season office timings needs to be changed.
   It was also stressed at the meeting that the State government should not submit a proposal to Andhra Pradesh government in the matter of constructing a parallel canal to Tungabhadra reservoir, as it affected the district farmers. Kamala MLA Muniyappa Mudappa, were present in  meet.