Krishna Byre Gowda, Minister for Agriculture, has said that a survey to assess crop loss due to extended severe drought condition during rabi this year would be taken up after December 15. “This year, the State was reeling under severe drought. As many as 139 taluks in the State have been declared drought-hit due to the failure of monsoon causing huge crop loss. The severe drought has also extended to rabi due to failure of post-monsoon rain. We have instructed the officials of the Agriculture Department to submit the crop position. After that, survey would be carried out to assess the extent of loss of crops and submit a detailed report along with a memorandum to the Union government seeking financial assistance,” he said. Mr. Krishna Byre Gowda was here to participate in the demonstration of Drill Sown Rice (DSR) and mechanised bailing of paddy fodder at Charakunta village in Ballari taluk on Tuesday. He said that the State government has submitted a memorandum to the Union government seeking financial assistance of Rs. 4,702 crore to compensate the loss of crop during this year’s kharif season and the Union government was yet to take a decision and release the required funds. “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi very soon to prevail upon him to release funds. Once we get the funds, steps would be taken to transfer them directly to farmers,” he added. To a question, the Minister said that the proposal to set up paddy procurement centres and also announce minimum support price would be decided by the Cabinet sub-committee. Admitting that demonetisation of currency had severely affected trading in APMC yard by 40 per cent besides bringing down the price of agricultural produces, he said that the government was committed to establishing procurement centres and make the payment through bank transfers. Source - http://www.thehindu.com