Farmers facing uncertainty need budget support: KRRS

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to accord top priority to farmers’ welfare and agriculture in the upcoming budget, stating that uncertainty and insecurity are haunting the farming community. Efforts should be made to strengthen the sector and uplift distressed farmers.

KRRS president Badagalapura Nagendra told reporters in Mysuru on Friday that a special allocation should be announced in the budget for the development of the newly created taluks of Saligrama and Sargur in Mysuru district, in addition to the irrigation projects sanctioned for the district.

At the pre-budget discussion meeting held in Bengaluru on February 17, chaired by the Chief Minister, KRRS office-bearers put forward 19 demands and 13 special and essential programmes to be included in the budget, he said.

Urging the State and Central governments to come to the rescue of tobacco growers who are in distress due to the price crash, he said farmers in Periyapatna, H.D. Kote, Hunsur and Nanjangud in Mysuru district; Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district; and Arkalgud in Hassan district are severely affected by the fall in prices. High taxes on tobacco were cited as one of the reasons for the decline in prices, he added.

Lashing out at the State government for allowing safari operations in Bandipur and Nagarahole, Mr. Nagendra condemned the decision and demanded that safaris be stopped immediately. Safaris had been stopped following tiger attacks on humans in Sargur and H.D. Kote areas.