New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI): As many as 125 out of total 6,291 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in Karnataka are under liquidation, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament on Tuesday.

Out of 125 PACS, 28 cooperatives are located in Chikkaballapura, followed by 13 in Hassan and 12 in Belagavi, as per the data placed before the Lok Sabha.

According to Shah, there are a total 6,291 PACS in Karnataka, out of which 64 are non-functional/dormant at present, while 125 are under liquidation.

In the last five years, 428 new PACS were registered in the state with the highest 187 in Belagavi, he said in a written reply to the Lower House.

At an all-India level, 4,964 PACS were registered in 2024-25 fiscal across the country.

The minister said National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) disbursed Rs 25.56 crore to PACS in Karnataka in five years till 2024-25.

Under a pilot project to construct a grain storage unit, the minister said a 1,000-tonne godown with a processing unit has been constructed at Primary Agriculture Cooperative Federation, Ekamba, Bidar in Karnataka.

For computerisation of PACS, the minister said of the 6,582 PACS sanctioned in Karnataka, hardware has been delivered to 5,491 PACS, 3,765 cooperatives have been onboarded onto the ERP system, 1,930 cooperatives are live on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and 1,728 have completed by-end operations.

The Centre has released Rs 55.64 crore to Karnataka under the computerisation project, he added.

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Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.

Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.

In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.

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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.

According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.

"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.

The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.