'Govt mulls over maximum support price for arecanut'

Addressing after inaugurating the extended division of chocolate manufacturing unit of Campco Limited here on Monday, Yeddyurappa said that the government is open to help farmers especially arecanut growers in the state.

Support price for arecanut must be announced for the period between January and April, he said and pointed out that the move will help small, medium and large-scale farmers. Solution for arecanut diseases will be found through the research centres of the government.

 “Our government is committed to safeguard and lend helping hand to farmers in the state,” he added.

Land for Campco in B’lore

Yedddyurappa said that the government is willing to hand over 10 acres of land for the setting up of new chocolate manufacturing unit of Campco in Bangalore.

“Campco’s demand for land in Bangalore will be discussed and all other facilities will be provided,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion Campco Limited former chairman S R Rangamoorthi said that with the introduction of a new unit at Puttur, the chocolate production will increase from 8,800 tonnes to 17,000 tonnes.

Marketing operations are being planned making tie-ups with Nestle and Cadburry’s. Further, he said that the company, which has no accumulated loss, is earning a profit of Rs one crore every month. Campco Limited Chairman V Krishna Bhat was present.

Leakproof exchequer

 “Government will check all leakages in the state exchequer and ensure sufficient funds for the development,” Yeddyurappa said delivering the inaugural address of the centenary celebrations of Puttur Co-operative Town Bank Limited.

He said that the state has no fund shortage crisis. “Since the budget session of the assembly is nearing, I would not like to announce more assurances. However, I assure citizens that the state exchequer has sufficient funds to implement all development works,” he added.

Talking about the functioning of co-operative sector in the state, Yeddyurappa said that Karnataka is a model state for the entire nation.

The state, which launched a revolution in the co-operative sector, has about 32,215
co-operative societies with 1.88 lakh members and 32,693 crore working capital.
The main objective of co-operative movement is to make the society self-sufficient and free from exploitation, he added.

The government has already implemented the recommendations of Prof Vaidyanathan Committee. Agriculture loans are being distributed at 3 per cent interest to farmers. Several other welfare schemes were also launched for the benefit of farmers, Yeddyurappa explained adding that the co-operative banks in the state extend financial help to rural farmers too.

All backward districts in the state have been developed considerably. Sea of changes were made in health, education, housing, irrigation, electricity and other sectors in the state. Industrialisation is the need of the hour for an overall development of the state. Hence, he said, “mega industries should come up in non-agricultural land to create revolution in the industrial sector.”

District-in-Charge Minister J Krishna Palemar, MPs Nalin Kumar Kateel, D V Sadananda Gowda, MLAs N Yogish Bhat, Mallika Prasad Bhandari, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, Zilla Panchayat President Santhosh Kumar Bhandari, Coastal Karnataka Development Authority Chairman B Nagaraja Shetty and Deputy Commissioner V Ponnuraj were present on the occasion.