From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 15: Karnataka Chief Minister expressed his deep sense of pain over the rising suicides by farmers in the State and vowed to do his best to address the problems of farmers.

However, he said the State Government with its limited financial resources alone cannot address the problems of farmers. "The Union Government needs to lend a helping hand," he said while speaking after unfurling the national tricolour on the 69th Independence Day in Bengaluru on Saturday.

The Chief Minister reviewed a guard of honour from an open jeep at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground, and said, "The spate of farmers’ suicides in the last two months has brought much agony and pain to me."

Reading from a 24-page printed Kannada text, he said the continuance of farmers’ suicides has subdued the spirit to enjoy Independence Day celebrations and had even forced the State Government to tone down this year’s Mysuru Dasara celebrations.

The Chief Minister’s Independence Day speech largely focused on farmers’ issues, in which he said: It is distressing to note that 58 and 48 farmers committed suicide in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

In April, May and June this year, the number of suicides was 39 but suddenly increased to 182 in July.

Appeal to youth to educate farmers

Unable to repay loans from money-lenders due to failure of monsoon was the major reason for suicides, the Chief Minister said.

As the farmers were not much educated, Siddaramaiah said it was the responsibility of the youth, who are staying with their parents, to inculcate courage in the minds of farmers and create awareness about the government’s welfare schemes.

The youth need to bring the State Government’s attention, any discrepancies existing in the schemes so that immediate steps to solve the problems could be taken, he said.

Urging the Centre’s to come forward with necessary aid, he said the farmers’ problems needs to be responded rising above party affiliations.

"We have initiated steps to mitigate the miseries of the farmers towards this end. Even then, farmers’ suicides are happening due to factors beyond our control," he said.

"Our purpose is not to find temporary solutions, but to make honest attempts to seek permanent solutions to farmers’ issues.
To achieve this, a vision group headed by renowned farm scientist M S Swaminathan had been constituted," the Chief Minister said.

Roads, water, power to get priority

Siddaramaiah said maintenance of roads, water and power supply as well as cleanliness were major challenges in urban areas.

He said Bengaluru secured top tank with regard to maintenance of cleanliness among State capitals in the county.

Now, "the responsibility of maintaining this exalted position rest with all of us," he said.

However, the chief minister said: "It is true. Of late, the image of Bengaluru has been sullied due to various reasons."

A sum of Rs 4635 crore had been spent for the City in the last two years for implementing development works.

The property tax collection by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was Rs 4,440 crore in the last two years as against Rs 4473 crore in three years before 2013, the chief minister said.

The State Government has proposed to set up a command centre in Bengaluru to prevent terrorist activities, he said.