Karnataka ready with contingency plan to deal with poor monsoon rains

Govt will wait till first week of July before implementing any such plan as advised by agriculture scientists

In an effort to tackle any eventuality emerging out of a possible failure of monsoons in the state as a result of the El Nino effect, the Karnataka government is readying a contingency plan to bail out farmers. The government will wait till the first week of July before implementing any such plan as advised by agriculture scientists, said minister for agriculture Krishna Byregowda.

“We are readying the detailed plan which we will announce by end of the first week of July. Agriculture experts have told the government to wait till then as normally monsoon get active in July. If there is any further delay in the arrival of rains, we will implement the contingency plan,” he told Legislative Assembly while speaking on the demand for grants to agriculture during the year 2014-15.

Byregowda said, the government has planned to distribute distress kits worth Rs 3,000 each to farmers. The kit contains essential seeds and fertiliser being used to grow short and medium-term crops. As part of the contingency plan, the farmers have been told to grow only short and medium-term crops, and avoid sowing for long-term crops, he said.

“We are ready to tackle the drought-like situation if the monsoon fails this year,” he added.

During the period from June 1 to June 24, 2014, the state as a whole recorded 110 mm of rainfall as against the normal rainfall of 145 mm, a shortfall of 24 per cent, which is classified under the deficit category.

Among the 176 taluks of the state, the rainfall was excess in 21 taluks, normal in 72 taluks, deficit in 73 taluks and scanty in 10 taluks during this period. Last year, for the same period, rainfall was excess in 81 taluks, normal in 66 taluks and deficit in 29 taluks.

Byregowda said, the government would announce within a week minimum support price for ragi and jowar for the first time in the state in order to encourage farmers to grow more.