Bengaluru, July 7: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who presented his 14th Budget today said that new Congress government in Karnataka expects the Agricultural Produce Market Committees to work in the best interest of the farmers and ensure a fair price for their produce.
“Our government in its earlier tenure took several measures to strengthen the APMCs and introduced online market system, the first-of-its-kind in the country," CM Siddaramaiah said.
"However, by amending the APMC Act, the previous BJP government weakened the healthy marketing network and created uncertainty in lives of lakhs of farmers who depended on APMCs for their livelihoods. Before the amendment to the APMC Act, the total income of 167 APMCs of the State in 2018-19 was between Rs. 570 crore to Rs. 600 crore, which has drastic D crore to Rs. 193 crores in 2022-23 after the ACT was amended. Besides, there are many instances before us of private companies deceiving and exploiting farmers in the open market. Our government has decided to withdraw the anti-farmer ACt to in order to protect the interest of farmers," CM Siddaramaiah said.
New announcements
>> Short term interest free loan up to Rs. 3 lakh will now be increased to Rs.5 lakh. Similarly, medium and long term loan at 3% interest up to Rs.10 lakh will now be increased to Rs.15 lakh. Through this revised scheme, approximately, Rs. 25,000 crore worth loans will be disbursed to more than 35 lakh farmers.
>> Government will provide interest subsidy up to 7% on bank loans up to Rs. 20 lakh to farmers for construction of godowns to store produce of farmers and their neighbors.
>> Loan up to Rs. 7 lakh at the rate of 4% Interest will be provided to purchase four wheeled vehicles (pick up van) for transporing-agricultural produce and equipment for farmers for agricultural activities in hilly tracts of Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Uttara Kannada and Udupi Districts.
>> Mini cold storages will be established in collaboration with KAPPEC in 50 selected vegetable markets of the State to prevent distress sale of perishable commodities like fruits, flowers and vegetables and help farmers secure a fair price for the produce.
>> For the economic self-reliance of fisherwomen and to assist them in the expansion of business, interest-free loans provided by banks will be increased from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 3 lakh.
>> The government will offer subsidized diesel provided to fishermen's boats will be increased from 1.5 lakh kilo litres to 2 lakh kilo litres. This will amount to financial assistance of Rs.250 crore in 2023-24.
>> For the benefit of Silkworm farmers of Chikkaballapura and the Kolar, the government approves 75 crore to set up of a high-tech silk cocoon marketin Sidlaghatta.
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