New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS): The Centre has released Rs 235.14 crore to the Karnataka government as the third installment under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) for the financial year 2023-24, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje said on Friday.

The amount approved on Thursday is to be utilised for the improvement of infrastructure in the agriculture sector, construction of godowns, water harvesting structures, establishment of primary demonstration units, procurement of tractors, power tillers and drones, promotion of integrated farming, soil health fertility and setting up of custom hiring centres, etc.

The minister also said that the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has allocated a total amount of Rs 761.89 crore for the year 2023-24 under RKVY to Karnataka to implement these schemes for the welfare of the farmers.

On January 25, the Centre gave an additional allocation of Rs 178.65 crore to Karnataka under the RKVY scheme. The initial allocation under the RKVY scheme was Rs 583.24 crore which has been increased to Rs 761.89 crore for the year 2023-24, she added.

Till date, the Central government has released a total amount of Rs 526.75 crore out of the total allocation of Rs 761.89 crore, and the remaining balance amount will be released after utilization of the amount already released to the state.

The Centre has also issued the approval for the procurement of Bengal Gram (Channa) in Karnataka under the price support scheme at MSP of Rs 5,440 per quintal for a maximum quantity of 1,39,740 MTs for the rabi season.