State needs more granaries, says CM Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said granaries have been constructed to store just 10 lakh tonne of food in the State since 58 years of independence. But in the past two-and-a-half years, 3.21 lakh tonne capacity has been added and Rs 650 crore has been earmarked to construct granaries which can store an additional 12 lakh tonne of grains in the next two years.

He was speaking after inaugurating various development works taken up by different departments at a cost of Rs 31.75 crore and laying foundation for a slew of projects worth Rs 22.11 crore at Beladingala Katte in the town on Friday.

“We need granaries that can store up to 60 lakh tonne of grains in the State to do justice to the farmers  as of today. If farmers have access to granaries, they can store their produce till they get the expected price. Therefore, we are focussing on granaries,” he said.

The State government has sought Rs 3,850 crore from the Centre to take up drought relief measures.

The Centre has approved only Rs 1,450 crore, he said and added that he has appealed to the Centre to release the funds according to the demand to help the farmers.

Pointing at the decrease in the price of tobacco, a major crop in the taluk, he said he would take up the issue with the Centre to get a fair price for the produce. Siddaramaiah asserted that Tipu Sultan was a patriot and a secular person.

“The BJP is disturbing peace in the society by dividing the people on the basis of its ideologies. Two innocent persons have been killed in Kodagu due to the BJP’s opposition to the Tipu Sultan Jayanti. The State government is for a peaceful society on the lines of the wishes of writer Kuvempu, who said ‘Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota’,” he said.

Replying to Periyapatna MLA K Venkatesh’s appeal for more funds for development, the chief minister said Rs 300 crore has been sanctioned to the constituency in the last two-and-a-half years.

“Already Rs 1 crore for Ambedkar Bhavan and Rs 50 lakh for Valmiki Bhavan have been sanctioned and another Rs 50 lakh will be sanctioned for the Valmiki Bhavan.

Foundation stone has been laid for Kanaka Bhavan and necessary funds will be released for a Shaadi Mahal and Rs 6.5 lakh will be released for Devaraj Urs Bhavan in Periyapatna,” he said.
Ministers Dr H C Mahadevappa and H S Mahadev Prasad, Zilla Panchayat President Pushpa Amarnath, former MLA H C Basavaraju, Taluk Panchayat President Sakamma Chikkegowda and others were among those present on the occasion.