Karnataka has set an ambitious target to convert 75,000 hectares of wasteland to cultivation during the 11th Five Year Plan. | |
| Speaking at the Krishi Pandith Awards presentation ceremony here on Thursday, A Ramaswamy, Karnataka principal secretary for agriculture and horticulture, said, "Presently, we are conducting a survey to identify such land for conversion." |
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| "For developing wastelands, the agriculture department is planning to take up central and state government schemes as the state's cultivable land potential is shrinking as the land used for non-agricultural purposes is increasing," he added. |
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| The state government is offering agriculture loan at 4 per cent through state co-operative banks. "Now, the state government has approached the Union finance ministry to direct scheduled commercial banks to also offer loans at 4 per cent," he further added. |
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| Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur said, "Karnataka is the only state to have brought out a comprehensive agriculture plan even as the National Development Council has given its approval to the 11th five year plan." |
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| "Karnataka's agriculture policy is in tune with the National Development Council policy resolution and is farmer-centric. The policy aims to double agricultural production in 10 years. This will enable it to become a significant player in the agricultural economy by increasing' production, effecting higher efficiency and value addition to farm produce," he added. |
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| Farmers who won Krishi Pandith Awards under different categories were: for efficient usage of water "" Eswarappa Verrabhadrappa of Nagarahalli in Gadag district; organic farming "" Vivek Cariappa and Julie Cariappa of H D Kote, Mysore district; farm mechanisation "" Ravindra Ganesharao Telanga and Mahesha R Telanga of Koralakatta, Uttara Kannada district; integrated farming systems and crop diversification "" Veerakempanna of Aanuru, Chikkaballapur district. |
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