The state government is seriously planning to give a compensation of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per hectare to farmers’ whose sugarcane crop remained unharvested due to delay in crushing.
   Addressing a news conference here on Saturday, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister B S Yediyurappa said a decision to this effect would be taken in the state Cabinet meeting likely to be held next week. According to an estimate, sugarcane worth crores of rupees had not been harvested in major sugarcane growing districts like Bagalkot, Bijapur, Belgaum and Dharwad district because of problem in crushing. The government was aware of woes of sugarcane growers and planning to disburse a compensation of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per hectare that may cause an additional burden of Rs 12 crore to the state’s exchequer. The centre should understand the situation and come forward to bear at least 50 per cent of the compensation amount.
   He said the government knew the problems of farmers because of which it was disbursing loan at 4 per cent interest to all farmers.
   The centre should also exhibit its commitment for aiding ryots by making arrangements to distribute loan at 4 per cent from nationalised banks too.
   It was learnt that the centre was not ready to this idea and this was made clear in the meeting held in New Delhi recently. 
   The Congress led UPA Government was totally anti-farmer and not ready to help the agriculture community in any way.
   Asked whether Karnataka would request neighbouring Maharashtra to crush additional sugarcane grown in this region, the deputy chief minister replied in negative and said the state government was not interested in this proposal.
   Training his guns against the Congress Party, the deputy chief minister said all hurdles for the implementation of ‘Bhagyalaxmi’ scheme were cleared.