Coming to the aid of citizens
facing hardship due to the lockdown, the Karnataka government on Wednesday took a slew of measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of food grains, vegetables and milk.
The decisions include protecting the interests of farmers and milk producers.
"We have decided to supply milk free of cost to the poor till April 14 and the district administrations have been entrusted with making arrangements for it," Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said at a press briefing after chairing a meeting of the group of ministers.
He conceded that the farmers have been caught in a dilemma due to the nationwide lockdown as they were not able to sell, harvest or transport their produces.
I have given clear directions to the police to ensure the uninterrupted movement of essential goods in the state.
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The chief minister said earlier the farmers were able to transport produces to other states but now it has stopped, owing to which the prices have crashed.
"I have given clear directions to the police to ensure the uninterrupted movement of essential goods," Yediyurappa said.
It has been decided, said Yediyurappa, that the Horticultural Producers' Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) will sell these agriculture products.
Besides, the HOPCOMS will also sell eggs, said Yediyurappa adding there were rumours doing rounds that eggs, tomatoes and poultry products were not good in these times.
"These are rumours and no one should lend their ear to them," he said.
The chief minister also said agriculture produces will be transported through trains.
He appealed to people not to resort to panic buying as there was no shortage of essential goods in the state.
"There is no need for hoarding. People should not heed to the rumours about the shortage of food grains and products," the chief minister said.
Yediyurappa directed the officials to make sure that the crops were harvested without any interruption.
A decision was taken to start rice and dal mills.
On milk production, the chief minister said earlier it was 69 lakh litres a day, of which only 42 lakh litres was sold a day.
"The Karnataka government will purchase unsold milk and distribute it to the poor.
Milk will be distributed in slums. We will distribute it to the poor people free of cost till April 14."
"We have directed the deputy commissioners to ensure the distribution of milk in their respective districts free of cost to the poor people," Yediyurappa said.
The chief minister said the government was in touch with the Railways with respect to transportation of perishable goods to other states.
In addition, the government would work out alternative ways to process tomato, grape etc for preservation purpose.
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