₹1,793 crore for Mandya: Shivakumar puts irrigation, hospitals and cane farmers first
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday launched development works worth ₹1,793.74 crore in Mandya district, with irrigation, agriculture, healthcare, education and infrastructure accounting for the bulk of the outlay.
Speaking at a function organised by the district administration and the Zilla Panchayat at the Mandya University campus, Mr. Shivakumar said the government was committed to the overall development of the district and to safeguarding the interests of farmers.
On healthcare, he announced a proposal to establish a 100-bed hospital in Mandya modelled on the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. Officials have been directed to prepare a detailed plan for the facility. The 100-bed mother and child hospital at Hosur Colony is ready for inauguration, he added.
Irrigation received the largest share of attention. The government has decided to allocate ₹806 crore for filling lakes in Pandavapura, Nagamangala and K.R. Pet taluks and for canal repair and construction works. A further ₹224 crore has been earmarked for modernising canals in Mandya, Maddur, Srirangapatna and Pandavapura taluks. Mr. Shivakumar said steps were being taken to ensure that water from the KRS reservoir reached farmers' fields in tail-end areas, including Malavalli and Maddur.
On the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, he said its implementation would make 66 tmcft of water available for use during distress years in the old Mysuru region, covering Mandya, Mysuru and Hassan districts.
Addressing the concerns of sugarcane growers, the Deputy Chief Minister said the government had held discussions with Ministers and decided to provide an additional ₹50 per tonne from the government and ₹150 per tonne from sugar factories to ensure remunerative prices for farmers. Noting that sugar prices had remained unchanged for nearly 10 years while the cost of agricultural production had doubled, he said that if the Centre fixed the sugar price at ₹50, he would take responsibility for ensuring a fair price for sugarcane growers.
On the recent revision of milk prices, he said the increase was aimed at providing farmers an additional ₹7 per litre to offset the rising costs of cattle feed, oil cakes and medicines, and noted that Opposition parties were objecting to such decisions.
The government has allocated ₹100 crore for the Agriculture University at V.C. Farm in Mandya, and the Cabinet has approved works worth ₹60 crore for renovating the boiling house of the State-owned MySugar factory, he said.
Mr. Shivakumar added that the Mandya Milk Union was producing an additional 1.5 lakh litres of milk daily and had sought permission to establish a Nandini ice-cream unit to prevent wastage. The government would grant approval and guidance soon, he said.
Minister in-charge of Mandya district and Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy said more than ₹10,000 crore had been provided for development works in Mandya over the past one-and-a-half years. Agriculture Minister P.M. Narendraswamy said the government was committed to modernising the canals of the KRS reservoir and implementing the Mekedatu project to address irrigation concerns in the district.
The Deputy Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various works and distributed benefits to eligible beneficiaries under government schemes. Ministers Rudrappa Lamani and others, MLAs P. Ravikumar, K.M. Uday, Ramesh Bandi Siddegowda and Darshan Puttannaiah, MLCs Dinesh Gooligowda and Madhu G. Madegowda, Deputy Commissioner Kumar and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K.R. Nandini were present.
Editor's note: The original report described Mr. Shivakumar as Chief Minister. He is the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka.
