Deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa on Sunday instructed the district administration to open goshalas in all 16 hoblis of the district. “Steps would be taken to provide 50 tonnes of fodder to the district within a week,” he added.
Presiding over a drought-review meeting in Chamarajanagar at the deputy commissioner’s office, he said six goshalas have already been opened in the district and emphasis was on encouraging farmers to grow fodder.
Fodder kits have been provided in several areas and agricultural department officials should take steps to grow an alternative crop during the coming months. Officials should also make preparations to provide information on drought loss to the Central team arriving to review drought situation shortly.
MLA H S Mahadevaprasad said farmers haven’t received crop insurance as the rainfall was received in April in Gundlupet, while in other areas it is later. Crop insurance should be given based on the time of rainfall.
With farmers facing drought for two consecutive years, he demanded subsidy of 75 per cent for seeds. MLAs R Narendra, G N Nanjundaswamy and C Puttarangashetty, MLC K R Mallikarjunappa, zilla panchayat president K Rajeshwari, Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation president A R Krishnamurthy, revenue department principal secretary Ashok Kumar Manoli, animal husbandry department secretary Manjula were present.