Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Jan 27: Speaking after inaugurating the oath taking ceremony of the farmers at the state-level 'Agricultural Rejuvenation Convention' held by the department of agriculture and the State Organic Agricultural Mission in front of the Vidhan Soudha here on Monday January 26, chief minister B S Yeddyurappa announced that the government plans to provide impetus for organic farming, by earmarking Rs 200 crore for this segment in the ensuing budget.
"The government plans to encourage organic farming to lead the entire state towards organic farming for brightening the future of agriculture, he explained.”At present, 50,000 organic farmers have been identified. We want to steadily take this figure to 2.5 lac. We nurse the dreams of diverting farming activities from the chemical farming towards organic farming, which is not only healthy but has the potential to make farming profitable," he said.
The chief minister also spelt out his plans to visit the home of one organic farmer every month, spend on hour with his family and get inspired by his experiments. The government also wants to open 176 cow shelters in all the 176 taluks of the state with the help of voluntary organizations, he revealed.
Ex-President of India A P J Abdul Kalam who participated in the convention, received thunderous applause from the farmers present, when he started his speech in Kannada. After extending greetings, he continued his speech in English, which was translated into Kannada by the Organic Agricultural Mission president A S Anand. The ex-President, speaking after unveiling the website of the Organic Agricultural Mission, asked the government to provide impetus to agriculture and non-agricultural products in view of the economic downslide. He explained how the experiment of organic farming has been benefiting lacs of farmers from various states in the country. He also extended specific suggestions to officials engaged in organic farming popularization programmes, research centres and the financing institutions.
President of the empowered committee of the State Organic Agricultural Mission A S Anand explained that the government was administering the oath to 50,000 farmer families that have been identified in the first phase. The oath was administered by Meeratai Koppikar, a veteran organic farmer.
Ministers S A Ravindranat and Shobha Karandlaje were present.