BIJAPUR: M.B. Patil, MLA and member of All India Congress Committee, has urged the Government to review the Rs. 243-crore National Horticulture Mission Project being implemented in the State as north Karnataka region has been left out from its purview.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Mr. Patil said the consequences would be serious if the anomaly is not set right immediately.

Over the next three years, he said, the Union Government is to provide the State Rs. 243.78 crores under the National Horticulture Mission.

It had earmarked Rs. 73.95 crores for this financial year, of which Rs. 25 crores has been released.

Further, Rs. 82.22 crores and Rs. 87.61 crores will be given during 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively. Apart from measures to increase productivity, post-harvesting treatment of fruits and marketing, the project has wide scope for research and development activities in the field. Crops such as grape, pomegranate, banana, mango and pineapple are in focus under the scheme.

The project is an opportunity to redress regional imbalance. Stress should have been given to north Karnataka region considering the recommendation of the Najundappa Committee.

However, he said, the State Government, which is the implementing agency, had completely neglected north Karnataka. All the 13 districts selected for the project are from south Karnataka. It is a biased decision that cannot be accepted, he said and expressed the confidence that all public representatives from the region irrespective of their party affiliation will raise their voice against the injustice and see that justice is done.

Stating that the previous Congress regime had identified north Karnataka region as a potential area for the growth of the horticulture sector, Mr. Patil said there was a proposal to develop an agricultural export zone in Bijapur. It is a fact that export quality grapes are grown in Bijapur district, and a major chunk of production comes from there.

However, Bangalore Rural and Kolar districts are chosen to implement the project. He could not understand the criteria adopted by the Government in general and the Department of Horticulture in particular. The same is the case with pomegranate. He is not opposing inclusion of any districts for the project but had objections to leaving out potential areas. Central funds should be distributed equitably, he said.

What has caused doubt is that Bijapur and other districts that have potential for taking up the project are left out despite a circular issued by the Horticulture Director (Vasanth Kumar) some time ago. The official had clearly stated in the circular that rejuvenation of grape garden ruined in the wake of the drought would be included in National Horticulture Mission. However, the final list of districts chosen for the project benefit had shocked the people of the region.

To a query, the MLA from Tikota said he and other legislators from the region intend to take up the issue with Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh early next week.

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