From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jul 2: Short of an outright promise on waiver of farm loans, obviously in view of the presentation of the first budget of the HD Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-Congress coalition government on July 5, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Wala in his address to the joint session of the State legislature in Bengaluru on Monday assured the farming community of ‘humanitarian measures’ to alleviate their distress.
“The farmer is the backbone of our State. My government is always thinking of ways to protect the cultivator,’’ the Governor said pointing out that the government would strive to equip the farmer to adopt modern agricultural technology.
The Governor, who arrived to deliver his first-ever address to the member of the newly elected State Legislative Assembly along with the members of the Legislative Council, was received by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara, Assembly Speaker K Ramesh Kumar, Pro-tem Chairman of the Council Basavaraja Horatti, Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar, State Legislatuure Secretary and other officials at Vidhana Soudha.
The Governor’s address to the joint session of the State Legislature, which is meeting for a short 9-day sitting of both the houses reflecting the views of the Kumaraswamy regime, was very brief and full of intentions as well as assurances to all sections of society on protecting their interests without indicating any specifics.
He also showered praises on the State. “Karnataka is a model State in the country. The developmental programmes are an example to other States,’’ he said and mentioned that the State is first in attracting investments.
“Karnataka aims to be in the top two tourism destinations in India and among the top 50 in the world,’’ the Governor said.
“The agriculturist should move from dependence on monsoon to cultivation based on available water resources. The cultivator’s lot has become a vicious cycle of crop loss by flood or drought and poor market returns even in normal season for agricultural produce,’’ the Governor said coming out with a promise to formulate new schemes to mitigate the problems and improve the living conditions of cultivators.
Appeal to farmers against suicides
The farmers should adopt Israeli model agricultural practices. The government officials will visit the fields of agriculturists to advise them on cultivation based on seasonal conditions and water availability. While horticultural crops need to be encouraged to increase the income and profits of cultivators, modern marketing, packaging and storage systems need to be adopted with a focus on export promotion.
The government is keen to pioneer pilot projects and models to ensure fair returns to the cultivators, the Governor said and declared, “The days of anxiety are at an end. My Government desires to become the voice of the voiceless farmer. I appeal to the farming community not to resort to suicides for any reason whatsoever.’’
The Kumaraswamy-led coalition government, the Governor said would forge new paths with a new vision to safeguard the interests of each and every citizen while continuing effective programmes taken up earlier.’
“My government is committed to the welfare and development of all sections of society, in particular the disadvantaged sections, backward classes, women, youth and agriculturists. We will devise equitable programmes for the comprehensive development of both rural and urban areas,’’ the Governor said while promising steps to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed youth through effective skill development.
Asserting that education is power, the Governor said steps would be taken to make skill-based vocational training a mandatory part of education. Education, health and shelter to all are the government’s priorities, he said.
State Fodder Security Policy on the anvil
Pointing out that Karnataka stands second in milk procurement, seventh in egg production and eleventh in meat production in the country, the Governor said the Government will formulate a State Fodder Security Policy and also establish a Skin Processing and Tanning Centre.
Karnataka has taken steps to implement the revised action plan to become “Child and Adolescent Labour Free State by 2020,’’ Wala said Arogya Karnataka scheme will be rolled fully in the State this year.
The focus will be on reproductive and child health and prevention of illness and promotion of well-being of the community with an ambitious goal to bring down maternal mortality rate to the lowest in the country in the next 7 years. Mental health care programmes will be reoriented to protect the rights of patients and provide mental healthcare and services, the Governor said.
The Governor’s speech made a special mention of the road improvement works in the State, especially the problems of Bengaluru. “My government is aware of the infrastructure gaps in Bengaluru,’’ he said promising to strive towards integrated development of the city by effectively implementing traffic control, drinking water systems, public transport and housing programmes.