Karnataka state to up support for farmers

About 41,876 small and micro level farmers will receive a benefit of Rs 6.81 crore during the year 2011-12 in Mysore district under the “Suvarna Bhoomi” (golden land) scheme of the Karnataka Government.

As many as 105,022 farmers had applied under the new scheme launched from the new financial year. The scheme is launched with objective of encouraging poor farmers to take up agriculture-related subsidiary activites like horticulture, sericulture, bio-fuel, organic farming, high-yielding pulses, oil seeds, BT cotton, bee-keeping or fishery and improve their economic position.

Of them, 41,876 were selected by drawing lottery. Among these beneficiaries, 17,452 small and micro farmers will receive financial help of Rs 5,000 per acre in two instalments for a maximum of two acres, either through bank or co-operative society, for agriculture.

About 13,183 farmers have sought assistance for undertaking horticulture, while 5,000 for sericulture, 4,255 organic farming, 404 for taking up fisheries, and 81 for bee-keeping activity.

A sum of Rs 6.81 crore has been released for providing financial benefit to these farmers.

Another scheme taken up is “Bhoo hetana” to enhance soil fertility with application of light nutrients like gypsum, copper sulphate etc. During the current monsoon, it has been proposed to cover 58,300 hectares in the district.

These nutrients will be supplied at a concessional half the cost to the farmers by the Agriculture Department.