The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : 15 districts to be covered under horticulture mission

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 23, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

15 districts to be covered under horticulture mission

Staff Reporter

Nagaraj Shetty said there was no provision to include more districts under the existing guidelines

BANGALORE: The Government had plans to cover 15 districts under the Rs. 1,000-crore National Horticulture Mission and there was no provision to include more districts under the existing guidelines, Horticulture Minister Nagaraj Shetty said in the Legislative Council on Tuesday.

Replying to Saleem Ahmed (Congress), Mr. Shetty said the districts, most of them in north Karnataka, had been selected on the basis of their potential and agro-climatic conditions.

Common products

The districts could also be clustered to grow common products, and facilitate networking.

However, M.P. Nadagouda (Janata Dal-U) pointed out that the National Horticulture Mission was to promote horticulture in dry regions and the Government should adopt inclusive methods rather than excluding districts.

Basavaraj Bommai (JD-U) said it was ironical that the National Horticultural Mission had set about its task by first appointing a Danish consultancy firm to advise on implementing its objectives.

Leader of the Opposition H.K. Patil said the revised list of districts covered under this plan did not include districts like Koppal or Gadag, where chilli was a promising horticulture crop with export potential.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Govind Karjol told Vimala Gowda (BJP) that the tenders were approved for computerisation of the public distribution system, on March 17, and the process of issuing temporary coupons had commenced.

Complaints

Conceding that there were complaints about kerosene not being distributed regularly to cardholders who did not have LPG connections, Mr. Karjol said action had been initiated against those who were charging excess for kerosene sold through their outlets.

Mr. Karjol told D. Made Gowda (Congress) that possessing a colour television set would no longer be a parameter to disqualify a family seeking BPL status.

BPL cards would be issued after considering the overall living conditions and economic status of the family, he said.

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