Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
 
Mangalore, Mar 1: Relief is in sight for the beleaguered betel nut growing class of the region whose plantations have been affected by “kole roga” or “mahali” (fruit-rot disease) as the government has agreed to provide an additional assistance of Rs 1,000 per hectare for such farmers.  This fruit disease is caused by a fungus called “Phythophthora”.

This additional assistance is being given under Integrated Nutrition Management (IPM) scheme of National Horticulture Mission. This is apart from Rs 1,000 per hectare being given under Integrated Pest Management (INM) programme. Of this, the State Government will be contributing Rs 500 a hectare. According to C G Nagaraj, deputy director, department of Horticulture, in all, the betel nut growers will get around Rs 2,500 a hectare.
 
Union Minister for agriculture Sharad Pawar through an order issued last month has allowed Rs 1,000 from INM and Rs 500 from the state government for every hectare affected by the disease. At the general body meeting of the DK Zilla Panchayat here recently, Nagaraj informed that the assistance permitted to a farmer was limited to four hectares (ten acres).
 
According to him the Government has sanctioned Rs 2.4 crore under INM and Rs 3.82 crore under IPM programmes to the district and added that the eligible farmers would be paid immediately on receipt of the amount. Nagaraj said that the government had instructed that the amount should be transferred to bank accounts of farmers and barred payment by cheques.
 
The transfer would be through State Bank of India to any nationalized banks under core banking facility. If any cooperative bank is connected under core banking facility, the amount could be transferred to such bank, he said. Farmers should produce proof of identity given by the village accountants or a copy of RTC to claim assistance.

A circular had been sent to the gram panchayats in their limits stating that no fresh licenses should be given to construct houses or other development activities as lands in those constituencies had been notified for acquisition for Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ).  In this context members from Katil and Bajpe constituencies wanted to know how the official could send a circular without first bringing it to their notice. They equivocally stated that they were against the acquisition of land for the project.

Responding to this the Zilla Panchayat deputy secretary P Shivashankar stated that the circular had been sent by CEO under instructions from the deputy commissioner. It applied to only notified lands and not all the land in those constituencies. The meeting was presided over by K P Sucharitha Shetty, president of the Zilla Panchayat.