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| BJP govt announces anniversary gifts |
| BS Reporter / Chennai/ Bangalore May 23, 2009, 00:36 IST |
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The Karnataka government today decided to make available bank credit to small and marginal farmers at an interest rate of 3 per cent through nationalised banks. However, the loan amount is fixed at Rs 50,000 per farmer.
A decision to this effect was taken by the state cabinet chaired by chief minister B S Yeddyurappa here. This was a poll promise made by BJP during the assembly elections last year. The subsidised interest rate scheme for farm credit will be with effect from April 1, 2009. The government has earmarked Rs 250 crore towards reimbursement of the difference interest amount to banks.
Briefing reporters on the cabinet decisions, Shobha Karandlaje, minister for rural development and panchayat raj, said it has been estimated that about six to seven lakh farmers will avail credit from nationalised banks in the state. About 13 lakh farmers in the state who get credit from cooperative institutions already enjoy the low rate of interest, she said.
In another major decision, the government has planned to allot 1,500 acres land in Chitradurga district to Indian Insitute of Science (IISc) to set up its research and study centre. The government land would be provided at Kudapura in Challakere taluk, Karandlaje said.
The cabinet also decided to grant 14 acres of land to the Centre for Study of Science and Technology and Policy to establish its institute at Hesaraghatta on the city outkirts, she said.
The minister said the government also planned to develop more than 250 state highways and major district roads with private participation and levy toll on road users. The state cabinet fixed toll rates for the four-lane and two-lane roads for various category of motor vehicles. The basic toll rate per kilometre on a four-lane road for cars, jeeps, light motor vehicles, vans would be 65 paise and on two-lane roads it would be fifty paise, she said.
Mini-buses and mini goods vehicles will have to pay Rs 1.05 per km for using four-lane road and 75 paise for two-lane. The toll would be Rs 2.20 for buses and trucks on four-lane road and Re 1.50 on two-lane road, she said adding that heavy construction machinery vehicles would be charged Rs 3.45 per km on four-lane road and Rs 2.25 on two-lane roads. Toll will be collected on roads where more than 10,000 vehicles ply, she said. However, toll will not be collected on existing roads, Karandlaje said.
The state cabinet also approved activities to promote local crops under the National Agriculture Mission at a cost of Rs 11.48 crore. The scheme would be launched on a mission mode to increase the yield of local crops by 24 per cent in agriculture-dominated districts like Kolar and Tumkur. The scheme would be taken up in phases for promoting region-specific crops like jowar, ragi and paddy, she said.
The BJP government in the state, which will complete one year in office on May 31, will hold anniversary celebrations, she said. Several new programmes would be launched on that day and benefits such as possession certificates to slum dwellers, pension for senior citizens, widows and physically challenged, would be distributed, she added.
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