Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (CLP)

Mangalore, Sep 16: Krishna Byre Gowda, state minister for agriculture on Tuesday September 16 held a review meeting to guage the agricultural progress in Dakshina Kannada district, at zilla panchayat here.

Addressing the agricultural department officers, Byre Gowda said that agriculture department is not a sales and distribution company. "Development work, finding statistics about seeds sold, money used for the development of agriculture, taking stock of availability of fertilizers are your real duties," he told the officers.

Lamenting that the fundamental aims of the establishment had been forgotten by many, he reiterated the main objectives of the agriculture department and said, "The department should spread awareness among the farmers about crop producing methods and the use of machines for better production. The work of the officials does not end by merely giving the machines and seeds."

"Technology should be brought in farming and the farmers should know about it. Farming methods should be upgraded with the help of agriculture department," he stressed.

"Many officers complain that there is no time for extensive work due to various other responsibilities like opening and closing of the farmer information centers and running the shops etc. Now, 15 more officials have been appointed to help in the work," he informed.

The minister asked all the officials to rediscover the primary purpose of the agricultre department. "The chief minister has clearly said that agricultural department is not a sales agency. Food and civil supplies department does the work of distribution in a larger scale than the agricultural department. The distribution should be backed by technology," he said.

"Implementing technology is comparatively easy in Dakshina Kannada and nearby districts because farmers usually grow paddy," he added.

Deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district A B Ibrahim who also spoke on the occasion, said that in a recent inspection it was found that farmers in an average possess 27 cents of land in Mangalore taluk, 54 cents in Bantwal taluk and 81 cents in Beltangady taluk. "The applicability of machines in small scale agricultural land is difficult because of cost," he added.

Minister of agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda instructed the DC to randomly go to the areas and verify the statistics for academic curiosity. He was convinced that statistics were not accurate. "There has been a standard method followed from the past few years. The variation between the reality and the data produced needs to be checked," he said.

MLA Mohiuddin Bawa, Mangalore north MLA and Subodh Yadav, IAS officer among others were present on the occasion.

Udupi

Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Sep 16: Earlier, Krishna Byre Gowda visited Udupi and addressing a press meet, laid stress on implementing technology in agriculture as a way to tackle shortage in labour resource.

"Our priority is to provide good quality of paddy seeds. Presently the coastal region is facing a lack of agricultural labourers, hence the government has planned to implement system of rice intensification (SRI) and direct seeded rice (DSR) system and boost agriculture through mechanization.

"In this regard, already 180 units have been sanctioned in the state at a cost of Rs 70 crore. Each machine costs Rs 75 lac, out of which Rs 50 lac will be borne by the government and the remaining by the respective unit," he said.

He also laid stress on the need to provide technical information to the farmers and said that within a month, 2000 technical experts in agriculture would be assigned the work to go to the fields and educate the farmers.

Byre Gowda further said that within the next two years, soil health cards would be issued to farmers after soil testing.

Speaking to reporters later, Byre Gowda replied to a question on the proposed Brahmavar agricultural university and said that presently there is already such a university in Shimoga, and based on how it works out, further decision would be taken.

He also opinied that urbanization and encroachment of land had led to decline in agriculture.