They are - to recognise all farm-related industries, including warehouse and cold storage, as agriculture-allied activities; allow use of farm land for setting up these industries without land use conversion up to five acre in the State.
However, this will not apply at the district centres. Only those planning new ventures at the taluk level will get these benefits.
As per the existing rule, one can set up industries on farm land only after converting it for non-agriculture purposes as per the section 79(a) and 79(b) of the Act. Land use conversion is a cumbersome and lengthy process.
Besides, the government announced financial grant of 25 per cent (maximum of Rs 30 lakh) for setting up agriculture-allied industries at the taluk centres, excluding 12 developed taluks, across the State. The grant will be given as per the Karnataka Industrial Policy, 2009-14. These initiatives are part of the 36-point programme - “Future Steps” that Chief Minister Yeddyurappa rolled out after the three days of debate on the rural development in the Legislative Assembly. The programme envisages not only to make rural Karnataka a better place to live, but lessen the woes of farmers.
“Kalampura”
The CM said former president A P J Abdul Kalam’s Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Area (PURA) concept will be implemented in one hobli in every 200 Assembly constituencies located in rural areas.
A detailed project report will be prepared and budgetary allocation will be made in the coming fiscal. The Government has named the project after Kalam - “Kalampura.”
Kalam had proposed PURA concept for the rural development of the State while addressing the joint House of the State Legislature in 2005 organised as part of Suvarna Karnataka celebrations.
The Government, however, has not estimated the cost of implementing these new, rural development programmes nor has it spelt out how it is going to mobilise additional resources. Except for two or three programmes, the chief minister has not specified the time frame for starting and completion of the projects.
He said 10,000 kms of rural roads will be developed in the next two years. For this a special project will be chalked out to ensure that 50 kms of road is developed in every rural Assembly constituency. This will be implemented in two years, he added.
RUDSETI
To make rural youth self-reliant, self-employment training will be imparted. The Government is partnering with RUDSETI for this purpose.
Besides, the Government will extend a financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to rural students who aspire to join nursing course. However, those joining nursing course in Bangalore will not get this support. There are about 300 nursing colleges in the State. But, not many students from the State are utilising this opportunity.
Henceforth the Government will buy files, file covers and stationery items only from stree shakti groups. Even white paper required for the office work will be bought only from Bhadravati Paper mills. This, according to the CM, will give a boost to the cottage industry.
The Government will also start a new diploma course in agriculture. Rural youth who have passed PUC are eligible for this two-year course and once they secure the diploma, they will be appointed in the State Agriculture Department as Krishi Sahayaka. Yeddyurappa said that a committee headed by him will be set up to oversee the implementation of all his announcements made on Monday.
DH News Service
