Karnataka will enact a law to provide guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for farm produce, if the Central government passes an Act for a similar facility, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in Belagavi on Wednesday.
“Ensuring remunerative prices for farm produce is the responsibility of governments. Farmers work hard to feed people and they should get a legally assured MSP. If the Centre were to bring in a law to guarantee that, we too will do so,” he said.
He was speaking after distributing farm equipment to beneficiaries of various government schemes in front of the Suvarna Soudha.
He said that the State government has initiated several drought relief measures. “We have drought in 223 taluks, of which 196 are severely hit. Karnataka farmers have suffered a total loss of over ₹18,171 crore. Unfortunately, despite several appeals to the Union government, it has not released any compensation or assistance,” he said.
The State government, however, on its own, has released temporary assistance of ₹631 crore to the farmers at the rate of ₹2,000.
He said that the Congress government has revived the Krishi Bhagya and farm pond schemes that were stopped by the BJP government in the State.
He said the Agriculture Department is providing farm equipment to beneficiaries of various schemes at a cost of ₹900 crore at the State-level. As many as 2,700 farmers in Belagavi Division will get the equipment at a cost of ₹13.12 crore, he said. This will help marginal and small farmers to adopt modern farming methods, he added.
Apart from this, machinery is being provided at subsidized costs to farmers who adopt micro irrigation. The government is encouraging the development of integrated farming systems, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said that the State government has kept its promise of repealing anti- farmer provisions of the APMC Act that were introduced by the BJP government.
He said that sugarcane harvesters and tractors are among the equipment being provided as the government wanted to promote dairying, sugarcane and fruit and vegetable farming in Belagavi district.
He also said that the State government is committed to implementing the Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project, if the legal hurdles are cleared and the people cooperated.
Agriculture Minister N. Chaluvarayaswamy said that over 2.5 lakh farmers have been given micro irrigation units in the State till now and another one lakh units will be given in another month.
