Will handle Home Department efficiently if given a chance: B C Patil

Karnataka Agriculture Minister B C Patil on Friday said that he would handle the Home Department efficiently if the opportunity is given. However, Araga Jnanendra is handling the portfolio efficiently, he added. Patil was speaking to reporters here on Friday.

To a query, the minister said, “I have not thought about getting the Home Minister's position. It is left to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. I have served 25 years in the department and I will handle it efficiently if given,” he said.

Patil also expressed displeasure over the irregularities in the Police Sub-Inspector recruitment calling it a disaster and said police need talent and efficiency. If a person enters the department based on money, how can we expect justice from them? he asked. Patil, who served in the department for a few years, said: “There was no such culture when I entered the department. I am surprised at the recent development. Disciplinary and legal action has to be taken against the persons involved in the scam."

Supply of seeds

With pre-monsoon picking up in Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts, the government has taken all the necessary measures to supply enough seeds and fertilisers and there is no dearth for them. There were complaints of a shortage for cotton seeds. “We have taken measures in this regard and there is no problem as of now,” he said.

The officials of the Agriculture Department have seized seeds, fertilisers and pesticides worth Rs 24 crore which were being sold illegally. A total of 145 licences have been suspended and 207 criminal cases have been registered until now. The minister also said that he has directed legal action against people who were illegally storing and creating artificial scarcity of fertilisers and seeds.

The government also decided to procure 140 metric tonnes of additional ragi and the process of registration will commence from April 25.

In his reply to Opposition Party leader Siddaramaiah’s allegation that BJP had promised to double the farmers' income but the government is bringing the farmers to the street, Patil asked whether Siddaramaiah or any other government took measures to give Rs 10,000 to the farmers under the PM Kisan Yojana.

In order to double the farmers, the government is introducing modern technologies. Spraying pesticide using drones is an example. A drone can spray pesticide in one acre of land in just 10 minutes which takes only Rs 300 whereas it takes Rs 1,000 to do the same work with labourers, he said.

For the first time, the state government is giving subsidies for diesel used by the farmers. A farmer gets 10 litre of diesel per acre at the rate of Rs 25 per litre. Each farmer can get maximum diesel for five acres.

He also said “the Opposition party is trying to disturb the communal harmony in the state".

"In the Hubballi riots, the police arrested the prime accused for provoking violent incidents but why did they create violence asking the police to hand over the accused to them? They claim to behead the accused. Is it the Taliban or India? Congress is protecting the people who took law into their hands. Are they in favour of the country and the law of the land?” he asked.

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