News: Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (RD/SB)
Bantwal, Dec 27: Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) has successfully completed five years in the taluk by forming 4,064 Self-Help-Groups (SHGs) in 84 villages, thereby accounting a savings of nearly Rs 6.98 crore and Pragati funds amounting to Rs 79.29 crore by achieving a volume of Rs 62 crore, said SKDRDP chief executive officer L H Manjunath.
Addressing the media persons here on Saturday December 26, Manjunath said that 22 alcohol de-addiction camps were held across the taluk in the past five years, while 1,275 alcohol addicts have successfully got ridden of their addiction. In all Rs 1.75 crore were advanced to 245 SHGs under SGSY. Various information camps such as Krishi Mela, Krishi Utsav, dairy farming, study tours and training workshops through SHGs were conducted, he said.
The federations were formed in the village level for every 25 to 30 SHGs. The taluk has 153 federations while a central federation overseas the operations of SHGs. Around Rs 21.81 lac were advanced to 5,492 families for improving the sources of irrigation, progressive farming and also provide basic amenities. In all Rs 20 lac was provided to schools, temples, masjids and other worship centres under community development programme. The women empowerment has been strengthened through 50 Jnana Vikas centres. Rejuvenation committees of 135 were formed to create awareness on evils of ill habits including alcohol addiction, Manjunath said.
NABARD Agreement to Revive Paddy Cultivation
SKDRDP agreement with NABARD signed during December 2004 already completed five successful years and it has been intended to continue the programmes in the taluk, especially to revive paddy cultivation, said Manjunath.
The taluk was once reckoned as the rice bowl of Dakshina Kannada as such the efforts are being made to revive the paddy cultivation using the local Siri rice crop in the paddy fields of 1,000 farmers. Various programmes are underway since the agreement was signed with the NABARD, to revive the local paddy cultivation through providing financial assistance to the farmers, to take up farming in this regard.
SKDRDP director Mahaveer Ajri and taluk project officer Chandrashekar Nellyadi were present.