From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jul 11: With a severe drought situation starting at farmers in Karnataka due to monsoon playing truant in most parts of the State, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has indicated that the government was considering deferring recovery of cooperative farm loans.
Replying to the debate on the drought situation in the State in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Friday, Siddaramaiah said directions would also be issued to the authorities concerned to reschedule the short-term agricultural loans into medium and long-term ones.
The rescheduling on the short term agricultural loans into those of long term was being done to reduce the pressure on farmers worried about their prospects getting affected during this kharif season due to the weak monsoon.
Accusing the Congress government of failure in tackling the drought situation in the state, BJP members staged a walkout in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Chief Minister assured the House that all steps had been taken to face drought-related problems.
''The State Government is ready to face the situation and protect the interests of farmers,” he said.
Siddaramaiah reiterated that the State Government was ready to face drought.
''There is no dearth of money. The government will give money to solve all problems relating to drought including drinking water problem," he said.
However, not satisfied with Siddaramaiah’s reply, the BJP members staged a walkout raising slogans against the government.
Leader of Opposition JagadishShettar said the Congress government had failed to address the drought situation and had "not prepared" any contingency plan.
''The State Government has not convened even one meeting of the Disaster Management Authority, headed by Chief Minister," he said.
The ruling Congress members, however, alleged that the BJP was politicising the drought issue to gain political gains.
The government has instructed the authorities concerned to give some more repayment time for those farmers who have taken short and medium term loans, Siddaramaiah said.
Earlier, Revenue Minister VSrinivasa Prasad said the contingency plan was in place and all measures have been taken to tackle the drought.
The state has been reeling under drought for the last three years and the government has been taking appropriate steps to tackle it, he said.
From March to May this year, Prasad said the state received good rainfall which was 30 per cent more than normal and recorded 47 per cent deficiency in rainfall in June, the minister said.