CM writes to PM, Pawar on crop loss

It looks like it is time for chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda to take the issues raised by JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda seriously.

The chief minister has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar regarding crop loss in the state, particularly Hassan district.

Referring to the JD(S) letter to him, dated January 16, he has said extensive damage has been caused to commercial crops like potato, cardamom, ginger, turmeric and tur dal. Due to attack of blight disease for the last four years, potato growers are facing distress, he said.

The Union ministry of agriculture should come to the rescue of potato growers in the state by announcing a special package and also help in establishing a Potato Research Station at Hassan in order to find a permanent solution to the problems faced by these farmers, the letter states.

The chief minister has also sought the Centre’s intervention in procurement of ginger, turmeric and cardamom under minimum support price (MSP) scheme.

Special grant sought
The chief minister has urged Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia to provide a special grant of Rs 430 crore for the overall development of Bidar on the occasion of 500th year of consecration of Guru Nanak Jheera Gurudwara scheduled to be held from April 24 to 29.

The chief minister, in a letter to Ahluwalia, has said the Gurudwara of Bidar is considered to be one of the holiest places in the entire nation. The 500th year consecration celebration is likely to attract around 20 lakh people. To provide better facilities to the people on the occasion, a Rs 430 crore project to upgrade infrastructure has been drawn up.

Bidar is one of the underdeveloped districts of Karnataka. This one-time development of infrastructure will give a fillip to the overall development of the district, the chief minister stated.