'Coffee package unscientific'

Addressing a press conference, he said that the package would have been advantageous for coffee growers, if the government had released atleast Rs 1,200 crore. However, the government has released only Rs 240 crore, which is not sufficient. Those growers, who are in distress, will not be benefited with the package.  “The Government should release additional Rs 1,500 crore for the coffee package,” he urged.

“As many growers had pledged their property for bank loans, they are in a perplexed situation. Meanwhile, banks too have approached the court to recover the loans and also initiated auction process. Though the NDA government had announced loan waiver, later they had introduced the Special Coffee Term Loan Scheme increasing the burden on growers,” Devaraj said. Since associations and Congress leaders had failed to convince the central government about the plight of coffee growers, the package has become unscientifc.

Give Halappa case to CBI

Devaraj demanded that the case against former Minister Hartal Halappa should be handed over to CBI.

“A criminal case should be booked against Halappa and he should be arrested immediately,” he added.