Medical education and district in-charge minister S A Ramdas said waiving of farm loans has been discussed at the cabinet and mid-term loans are converted into long term loans.
He was speaking to meda on Saturday at Dharmapura, Hunsur taluk, after visiting drought-affected villages.
Although queries of media persons stressed on whether loans would be waived, he said mid-term loans are converted into long term loans and that banks were directed not to pressurise farmers for repayment.
Alternative crops
He said, if it rains within another four days, farmers would be supported with essential seeds and fertilisers for alternative crops.
“Rainfall now would not be a solution to the problems, but could serve the needs of cattle as the crops have already been destroyed.”
He said the government and the district administration were equipped to face the drought situation.
He said, the district had suffered about 80 per cent of crop loss. He said measures would be taken to provide water for cattle immediately.
Drinking water
“Drinking water issues at villages bordering forests would be looked into and appropriate measures to provide water for wild animals would be considered.”
Elaborating on fodder, he said, there was no fodder shortage in the district. There are six lakh cattle in the district and fodder is sufficient for another 10 weeks.
The minister said, previously it was thought that only Mysore taluk was affected by drought, but studies have revealed that Hunsur and H D Kote taluks were also suffering due to severe drought. He said, failure of rainfall in April was the main cause for drought.
Speaking on crop insurance, Ramdas said, unlike Haveri and other districts, Mysore farmers were negligent about crop insurance. Only 1.5 per cent of farmers have insured their crops.
Deputy commissioner P S Vastrad, Hunsur MLA H P Manjunath, MLC Siddaraju, zilla panchayat member Pushpavathi Amarnath, Hunsur taluk panchayat president Chandrakala, joint director for agriculture K R Krishnaiah, assistant commissioner Basavaraj and others were present.
