Latest news with #KarnatakaStatePolicyandPlanningCommission
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
CM urged to release balance crop insurance amount to distressed farmers in Kalaburagi
Deputy Chairman of Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission B.R. Patil has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging him to immediately release compensation under crop insurance scheme to aid distressed farmers in Kalaburagi district, particularly those affected by failed tur (pigeon pea) crops during the 2024 monsoon season. According to the letter, 8.9 lakh hectares were under cultivation in the district during the 2024 kharif season, with tur being the predominant crop cultivated over 6.27 lakh hectares. The other major crops included black gram, green gram, soybean and cotton. With 90% of the district's agriculture rain-dependent, farmers continue to face the consequences of erratic rainfall patterns, including both excess and deficient rain. Out of the 5.35 lakh farmers, only 2.04 lakh enrolled under the Karnataka Raitha Suraksha – Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (KRS-PMFBY), indicating only 38% coverage. Mr. Patil commended the State government's revised insurance policy model (80:110) for instilling hope among farmers. Under this model, his constituency saw the formation of farmer groups in every village, resulting in 63,337 enrolments, primarily for rain-fed tur crops. However, following a 71% rainfall deficit in November, tur crops began to dry up rapidly. 'Before agricultural scientists and myself visited the fields and found solutions for the problem, the crop had already dried. Later, GPS-based crop loss assessments were conducted by village revenue officers in accordance with government guidelines. The report has been sent to the government. Previously, no MLA from Aland constituency had taken such proactive measures. As a result of this meticulous crop-cutting analysis and farmer participation, Aland taluk alone has been sanctioned ₹225 crore in insurance relief. Similar efforts by other MLAs across the district have contributed to a cumulative relief proposal of ₹656 crore,' Mr. Patil said. 'Only ₹191 crore has been disbursed to 2.03 lakh farmers via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) which included ₹75.077 crore under local disaster compensation, ₹2.62 crore for post-harvest losses and ₹119 crore released by IFCO-TOKIO insurance company. However, the remaining ₹465 crore is yet to be disbursed,' Mr. Patil said. Mr. Patil expressed concern that certain complaints from political opponents may have prompted the Finance Department to withhold the remaining funds, citing doubts over the crop loss assessments. 'The surveys were conducted honestly and transparently by government officials. Delays in compensation can discourage future farmer participation in the crop insurance scheme. With monsoon fast approaching, the farmers require immediate financial assistance to purchase seeds and fertilisers for sowing,' he said. In his letter, Mr. Patil has urged the Chief Minister to ensure the prompt release of the remaining amount to support farmers in recovering from losses and preparing for the new agricultural season.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Citizens urged to avail themselves of benefits of Yashasvini Health Insurance Scheme
Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission and Aland MLA B.R. Patil has called upon farmers, the economically disadvantaged and the general public to make use of the Yashasvini Health Insurance Scheme, introduced by the State government to provide cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh for over 2,128 medical procedures. Speaking at a Yashasvini Health Card distribution event organised by the Kalaburagi-Bidar and Yadgir Co-operative Milk Producers Societies Union at KMF Salasar Kalyan Mantap in Kalaburagi on Wednesday, Mr. Patil said that the government has taken a proactive step in ensuring public health through the scheme. 'Those engaged in agriculture and allied sectors must not miss out on the benefits of this scheme that offers cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh for over 2,128 medical procedures,' Mr. Patil said. Lauding Aland taluk's leadership in dairy production despite limited landholdings and agricultural production, Mr. Patil stated that farmers in Aland have shown remarkable commitment to animal husbandry even as other taluks like Afzalpur, Jewargi and Chincholi with better irrigation have not prioritised dairy farming. 'To support dairy farmers, each cooperative society is being provided with loans up to ₹2 lakh. The farmers should make use of it. There are some complaints that some farmers have not received milk subsidies. I have appealed to the officials concerned to investigate and ensure the funds reach the rightful beneficiaries,' he said. Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum, speaking at the event, remarked that the Yashasvini card acted as a protective shield, particularly for farmers who engage in strenuous labour. 'The scheme offers timely and free treatment for sudden medical emergencies and awareness campaigns targeting women's groups,' she added. President of Kalaburagi and Yadgir District Co-operative Central Bank Somashekhar Gonaik said that the Yashasvini scheme, priced at ₹500 per card, covers up to four family members. He added that over 70,000 people across the district have registered for the cards. President of Kalaburgi-Bidar and Yadgir Co-operative Milk Producers Societies Union R.K. Patil presided over the event. Many farmers and women underwent medical check-up at a free health screening camp conducted as part of the event.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Siddaramaiah tells officials to place recommendations of district and taluk planning bodies in pre-Budget meetings
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday told the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission and the Karnataka State Decentralised Planning and Development Committee to place the recommendations of the taluk- and district-level planning committees in the pre-Budget meetings. The Chief Minister chaired a meeting of the two bodies and said taluk- and district-level planning committees need to be strengthened to further empower the Panchayat Raj system and to formulate schemes as per the requirements of people. Elections not held The District Planning Committees (DCP) and Taluk Planning Committees (TPC) have apparently become ineffective as elections have not been held for zilla and taluk panchayats. Currently, the district in-charge Ministers chair the meeting of these committees. Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had announced in the State Budget for 2023-24 that responsibility mapping had to be done regarding the functioning of Panchayat Raj organisations as per the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution. Responsibility mapping Accordingly, the Rural Development Department has prepared a responsibility map for 13 departments, out of which the responsibility maps for the functioning of nine departments, including Health, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Backward Classes and Minority Welfare, Agriculture, Watershed Development, Horticulture, and Sericulture have been notified. However, responsibility mapping of Women and Child Welfare, Education, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries departments was not notified so far, he said. The Chief Minister directed officials to complete the responsibility mapping of all departments by this August 15. He instructed the officials to submit a proposal to the government regarding the Revenue and Panchayat Raj departments' decisions on re-surveying villages and fixing boundaries. He also instructed the officials to submit proposals for establishing a land bank to develop infrastructure for urban and rural local bodies. Noting that people's involvement was important in the decentralisation, he said public opinions should be respected. Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission B.R. Patil had been told to tour the State regularly to understand the ground situation, the Chief Minister said. Mr. Patil told officials to adopt a bottom-up approach while formulating plans and schemes for the benefit of the needy. Decentralisation needed Mr. Siddaramaiah said he was in favour of decentralisation, and rural local bodies need to be empowered. He instructed officials to ensure implementation of the reservation in urban and rural local bodies as per the provisions of the Panchayat Raj Act. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge, chairman of the Fifth Finance Commission and former MP C. Narayanaswamy, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, and senior officials attended the meeting.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
MLA celebrates May Day with MGNREGA workers in Aland
Aland MLA and Deputy Chairperson of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission B.R. Patil celebrated International Workers Day on Thursday by joining MGNREGA workers engaged in the dredging of Dhannur Lake in Aland taluk. Hundreds of workers, engaged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), took a brief pause from their work to participate in the May Day celebrations at the worksite. In his address, Mr. Patil raised concern over the rising consumption of alcohol in rural areas, describing it as a growing social crisis. He called upon gram panchayats to pass resolutions banning alcohol sales within their jurisdictions and urged women representatives to spearhead the movement. 'It is unfortunate that liquor is more accessible in remote villages than safe drinking water,' he said. 'Daily wage workers often spend a major portion of their earnings on alcohol, pushing their families into deeper distress. Women are disproportionately affected and are demanding an end to this menace. At least half of the members in gram panchayats are women,' he said. 'They should push the agenda of getting alcohol banned in their gram panchayat jurisdiction. If passing resolutions by gram panchayats prohibiting the sale of alcohol did not work, you need to come to the streets and I will join you in that fight,' he said. Pointing to the ₹45,000 crore in annual revenue earned by the State government through the Excise Department, Mr. Patil said that causing harm to individuals and society in the name of revenue generation is a sin. 'It is morally indefensible to profit from a substance that causes damage to public health. Prohibition in a single State is ineffective. What we need is a nationwide ban,' he said, urging the Union government to take a bold, countrywide stance on liquor prohibition. Mr. Patil also took the opportunity to highlight the non-payment of MGNREGA wages, blaming the Union government for withholding funds. 'It is unacceptable that workers have not been paid for three months. The Gruha Lakshmi scheme, under which the State provides ₹2,000 per month each to woman head of a household, has provided some relief, but the Centre must release MGNREGA funds without delay,' he said. He praised local taluk panchayat officials for aligning MGNREGA projects with the needs of the farming community, noting that Aland is the only constituency in the State to have secured approval for 472 open wells on farmland for irrigation. A proposal for an additional 378 wells is under consideration. 'Half the wells already dug have struck groundwater. The others are expected to fill during the monsoon. This initiative not only aids irrigation but also contributes to groundwater recharge. Plans are also under way to construct check-dams across several watercourses in the constituency to further support water conservation efforts,' he said. The event was attended by Gram Panchayat president Hasina Bai, Taluk Panchayat Executive Engineer Manappa Kattimani, Congress leader Bhimashankar Patil, social worker Alibaba and other local representatives.
