Horticulture crops in 40,000 hectare

The Horticulture Department is hoping to spend Rs 500 under NREGA in the present fiscal.

Horticulture minister Umesh Katti, on Saturday, said farmers who are interested in cultivating horticulture crops would get seeds and fertilisers free of cost. In Dharwad district alone the department had taken up plantation of horticulture crops in 2,500 ha, while in Belgaum district it was 3,500 ha. He said a large section of farmers need information about benefits of the scheme. They could take many agriculture related works under NREGA. “I will be visiting four-five districts and ask the farmers to make better use of the scheme”, he said.