The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Financial aid to widows, destitutes

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Friday, Jan 18, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Financial aid to widows, destitutes

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The State Government has decided to provide financial assistance to 26,000 widows, destitute, Devadasis and poor women to buy milch cows and become economically independent under the Amrutha scheme. The scheme was announced by former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in the State Budget for 2007-08.

Speaking to presspersons after a meeting of the Executive Committee here on Thursday, Governor Rameshwar Thakur said the widows, the destitute and the Devadasis have been identified from all over the State, of which 5,600 and 2,000 belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, respectively, he said. A sum of Rs. 20 crore has been set aside for implementation of the scheme and each beneficiary would be given Rs. 20,000 to buy milch cows. The Karnataka Milk Federation and milk unions would be roped in to purchase cows and procure milk supplied by the beneficiaries. A committee headed by the deputy commissioner of each district has been constituted to implement the scheme in a transparent manner, the Governor said.

The Government would provide subsidy of 50 per cent for women belonging to acute poverty category, 60 per cent for Scheduled Castes and 75 per cent for Scheduled Tribes. There would be insurance cover for all cows purchased under the scheme. Cows would be purchased from other States also, P.P. Prabhu, adviser to the Governor, said.

MSP for copra, tomato

The Governor said funds have been released to pay an ex-gratia of Rs. 600 a quintal for copra growers over and above the minimum support price of Rs. 3,840 a quintal fixed by the Centre if the open market price of copra falls below Rs. 4,440 a quintal.

The price of tomato has gone up to Rs. 4 a kg in Kolar district. The tomato growers have also been promised an ex-gratia payment up to 30 paise a kg if the open market price falls below Rs. 2 a kg. The ex-gratia payment, however, will be restricted to a maximum of 10 hectares and a production of up to 10 tonnes per farmer, Mr. Prabhu said.

The prevailing prices of jowar, ragi, maize and tur dal in districts has been above the MSP announced by the Centre.

The Government would intervene in the market only if the prices crashed below the MSP, he said.

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