Prahlad Joshi urges state government to address sugarcane farmers’ demands immediately
Bengaluru: Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Prahlad Joshi, has strongly urged the Karnataka state government to immediately address the demands of sugarcane farmers, emphasizing that any delay in resolving their issues would not be acceptable.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Friday, Joshi insisted that the state government should urgently call for talks with both sugarcane farmers and sugar mill owners to swiftly resolve the ongoing crisis. He criticized the government's inaction, stating that forcing farmers to protest on the streets brings shame to the government. Joshi called on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the relevant ministers to intervene directly and resolve the issue without further delay.
"Delaying the legitimate demands of sugarcane farmers is not acceptable. It is wrong for the government to pass the blame onto the Centre, especially when the Centre has already granted several concessions to the sugar industry," Joshi said.
Joshi also pointed out that the Centre had already approved additional sugar exports to support the industry. He confirmed that the government had allowed the export of 1.5 million tons of extra sugar, responding to requests from sugar mills. In addition, the Centre has approved the export of molasses. Furthermore, the Centre has ensured that the farmers receive Rs. 3500 per ton for their sugarcane, as per their demands.
He emphasized that the central government had already paid 99% of the payments to sugar mills and that there was a notable increase in the ethanol production from 35 lakh metric tons in the past year.
Joshi criticized the state government for attempting to shift the blame to the Centre instead of taking action at the state level. "The Centre has made significant efforts to support the sugar industry and farmers, but the state government is playing politics and making excuses," he said.
He also commented on the internal discord within the Congress party, stating, "There are conflicting statements from various Congress leaders in the state. They are just making empty promises and talking about irrelevant things."
Reacting to statements from Congress leaders about a "November Revolution," Joshi said that the remarks signified the government's instability. "When the state government talks about revolution, it is an indication of their own failure to govern effectively. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his ministers are busy making conflicting statements, and the administration is in complete disarray," Joshi said.
Joshi also remarked on the uncertainty of the so-called November Revolution, stating that while Congress leaders claim to have an agenda, they have failed to show any real commitment to addressing the people's concerns. He urged the state leadership to focus on governance and fulfill their duties in the best interests of the public.
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Health Department launches leprosy awareness campaign in Dakshina Kannada, district reports 47 cases
Mangaluru: The Health Department launched on Friday the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign, to promote early detection and treatment to the disease and also to educate people in the district about leprosy.
The campaign, which is a nationwide initiative, will continue till February 13.
According to a report by Deccan Herald, District Health Officer Dr. HR Thimmaiah has said that 47 cases of leprosy were reported in Dakshina Kannada till December in 2025-26.
He has stressed on the need for early detection and treatment of the disease as it would prevent complications prior to detection. He also stressed on creating awareness, increasing community participation in cases of early detection. “People should not neglect white or brown patches without sensation on their skin,” the DHO advised.
Dr. Thimmaiah added that people diagnosed positive would be treated with free Leprosy Multidrug Therapy (MDT). “The government also provides Disability Prevention and Medical Rehabilitation (DPMR), splints, self-care kits, multicellular rubber footwear, and reconstructive surgery to patients. People can log on to sanjeevani.opd or esanjeevani.in for free teleconsultation if they come across any symptoms of the disease,” he added.
Referring to social stigma attached to leprosy, the DHO called it a challenge and said that the Department had planned awareness programmes in rural areas in collaboration with gram panchayats to ensure that there is no discrimination of patients. “ASHA workers and staff from other departments will be trained to create awareness among the people to overcome social stigma. A door-to-door campaign will be conducted. In addition, officials will visit educational institutions to create awareness among students,” he said.
Speaking about the leprosy cases in Dakshina Kannada, Dr. Thimmaiah said that the 47 cases were reported between April and December, with 42 being diagnosed as multibacillary (MB) leprosy and five as paucibacillary leprosy. One child too has been detected with leprosy during the year, he added.
He said that the district reported 29 cases in 2020-21, 39 in 2021-22, 75 in 2022-23, 62 in 2023-24, and 43 in 2024-25. The number of cases was higher in 2022-23 as patients were not able to visit hospitals during the Covid-19 pandemic in the previous years, the DHO informed.
