BANGALORE: Minister for Animal Husbandry Revu Naik on Tuesday said the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) and his department were together implementing animal husbandry and livestock schemes in six districts, and there was no diversion of funds to the KMF as alleged by the former Minister D.K. Shivakumar, MLA.

Mr. Shivakumar on Monday alleged that the Government had diverted funds from the Animal Husbandry Department to the KMF headed by Minister for Energy H.D. Revanna.

Mr. Shivakumar's allegations were politically motivated and baseless, Mr. Naik said.

Schemes under way

Mr. Naik told presspersons here that said the KMF and the Animal Husbandry Department had been implementing schemes such as rearing high-yielding cow breeds, establishing milk chilling and fodder production centres and veterinary care.

The schemes were being implemented in Belgaum, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Kodagu, Shimoga and Chitradurga districts under the Centre's special rehabilitation package to alleviate distress among farmers.

Funds

Under the package, Rs. 92 crore had been sanctioned for animal husbandry and livestock development for a three-year period.

The Centre had sanctioned Rs. 15 crore in 2007-08, of which Rs. 12 crore had been allocated to the KMF, the Minister said.

Mr. Naik said the department had roped in the KMF since it had adequate infrastructure at the district and taluk levels. The department did not have sufficient staff and infrastructure to implement the package in the six districts, he said.

The Minister said the Karnataka Livestock Development Agency had been set up, headed by an additional director of the department, for the overall monitoring of the programme. The KMF director was also a member of the Agency.

At the district level, an implementing committee had been constituted, headed by the deputy commissioner, to identify eligible beneficiaries for the package. Officials of the zilla panchayat, the KMF and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development were members of the committee.

Candidates selected

The Karnataka Public Service Commission had selected 43 candidates for filling vacancies in the department. But many had refused to join citing the low salary, the Minister said.

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