India:Support price to sericulture, if Centre releases funds
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PublishDate:
2006-01-10 13:44:00
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MYSORE: The State Government would extend support price to sericulture, if the union government releases 50 per cent of the funds, said C Channigappa, Sericulture Minister, here on Saturday.
Speaking at the Reshme Krishi Mela here, the minister said that it would be difficult for the State Government alone to provide support price to sericulturists engaged in producing cocoons.
Karnataka produces more than 50 per cent of the silk in the country. he said adding that the Central Government should release 50 per cent of its grants to Karnataka.
The increase in grants would help improve quantity and quality of production and would further strengthen the economic condition of 12 lakh families depending on sericulture farming, he said.
He said that allocation of Rs 300 crore in the budget for sericulture would further help to promote sericulture farming to produce 10,000 metric tonnes.
OPPOSED: Channigappa criticised the Central Government's move to amend the Seed Act to take control over the States. He said that the state research institutions and departments had produced quality seeds and had contributed significantly for sericulture development.
He said that they had appealed to the Union Textile Minister and the MPs to drop the Seed Act amendment proposal in the interests of the farming community. He will agitate if the Central Government goes with the proposed amendment,?he added.
He said the department had been streamlined and officials directed to visit fields, maintain diary, improve facilities at cocoon markets and prevent brokers from exploiting the farmers.
He told that the government would draw schemes to the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation units at Santhemarahalli, Kollegal and other places for replacement of obsolete machinery.