From Our Special Correspondent
Daijworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Mar 4: After the ruckus over the sale of tickets for the crucial India-England World Cup Cricket Match held in Bangalore, which resulted in lathi- charge of anxious cricket lovers keen on buying tickets and the subsequent demand in the State Assembly for a House Panel probe into the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) affairs, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has now promised to take steps to prevent black market sale of tickets for the ensuing India-Ireland match in Bangalore on March 6, Sunday.

The Chief Minister gave this assurance in reply to Congress members U T Khader and P M Ashok in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday.  Opposition Congress and JD(S) members, who were backed by ruling BJP members, urged the Government to take steps to prevent irregularities in sale of tickets for the India-Ireland clash to be held on March 6 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Congress member N L Narendra Babu and several other Opposition members demanded setting aside 50 per cent of the total tickets to the general public.

Yeddyurappa said all steps would be taken to avoid any problem to the public who visit the stadium to watch the match on Sunday. A few days ago, ruling and opposition members demanded a detailed probe by the House committee into irregularities into the sale of tickets by the Karnataka Sate cricket Association (KSCA) during the India-England match held on February 27.

State Govt releases Rs 25 cr for Arecanut procurement:

The State government has released Rs 25 crore from the revolving fund to procure arecanut directly from the growers, who have been affected by the recent fall in the prices, the Chief Minister announced in the Assembly. The Government would give an additional Rs 600 per quintal over and above Rs 6,900 fixed by the Central government. The procurement will be done through the Mangalore-based Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Ltd (CAMPCO) and other cooperative bodies in Shimoga and Sirsi trading in arecanut at Rs 7,500 per quintal till June 30, 2011. A government order has been issued in this regard on March 1, he said.

The Agricultural Marketing Department has taken steps to protect growers from the recent crash in the prices of arecanut, Yeddyurappa said.

Arecanut Growers in dire straits:

The arecanut growers have been facing severe financial difficulties following the crash in the prices of arecanut due to suspension of purchases by gutkha manufacturers in north India.

The Supreme Court in its ruling recently banned use of plastic sachets for gutkha. The Government has requested the Centre to announce higher support price for arecanut, he said.

Kimmane Rathnakar of the Congress said the prices of arecanut have dropped drastically following the Supreme Court ruling on banning use of plastic by gutkha manufacturers.

The court had also ordered for closure of the manufacturing of gutkha for a temporary period. As a result of this, the prices of arecanut have dropped by 50 per cent from Rs 18,000 per quintal to Rs 9,000 per quintal, the Congress member said.

Congress opposition leader Siddaramaiah urged the government to fix a floor price under the market intervention scheme and pleaded not to wait for the Central government intervention.

The government has the authority to fix the floor price and claim 50 per cent reimbursement from the Centre, he said. Karnataka is the leading producer of arecanut in the country and produces 686,000 metric tonnes annually from around 572,000 acres under the commodity.

As many as 3 million families are dependent on arecanut for livelihood in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Shimoga, Tumkur, Davanagere, Chitradurga and Chikmagalur. Kerala, Assam, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar islands are other producers of arecanut in the country.