Karnataka: Raichur district aspires to grow despite challenges, says Nirmala Sitharaman
Raichur (PTI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said Raichur aspires to grow despite its challenges, with the Centre continuing to push developmental initiatives in regions across Kalyana Karnataka in the northern part of the state.
Inaugurating a Farmer Training and Common Facility Centre for Agro Processing at Jawalgera village in this district, Sitharaman said similar centres will be set up in seven districts. One was inaugurated in Koppal on October 15, and today in Raichur.
"Similarly, we will have a total of seven agricultural processing units across the seven districts of Kalyana Karnataka. The units are being established using MPLADS funds and government support through the district administration, in public-private partnership with companies such as ITC to help market and procure products from farmers," she added.
Sitharaman, who is an Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka, said Rs 3.5 crore from her MPLADS fund was being spent on the seven units.
She said the products, once processed, could reach anywhere in the state from Raichur to Bengaluru contributing to Karnataka's overall growth.
Highlighting the need to focus on the region, the finance minister said, while Bengaluru's development has been exceptional, Raichur, despite the hard work of its people, faces difficulties in achieving development at the same pace. Therefore, Raichur must remain a key focus area for Karnataka's progress, she said.
Stressing the Centre's effort in uplifting such districts that have the potential to grow but have not been able to move ahead due to various challenges, she said, instead of calling them "backward districts, we now refer to them as aspirational districts".
"Today, I can see that Raichur, despite its challenges, is transforming them into opportunities one by one. This is how we achieve success by turning challenges into chances for progress. Raichur is showing improvement on many development indicators. This success is a result of targeted interventions, strict monitoring, and time-bound implementation whether it is roads, water supply, or electricity in villages," the minister said.
"Raichur already performs well in paddy and rice cultivation, but there are still gaps. Some parts of Raichur face irrigation shortages or soil-related constraints. That's why, instead of focusing only on paddy, cultivating pulses can be more beneficial here," she said.
According to her, the union government has launched a special pulses programme, and districts like Raichur can gain significantly by adopting pulse cultivation.
She said the government had identified 112 such aspirational districts across the country, including Raichur and Yadgir in Kalyana Karnataka, to help them move forward under the Aspirational Districts Programme.
Sitharaman said Raichur stood first among the 112 aspirational districts in the 2023 ranking, while Maski block in the district secured the top position among southern states in the Aspirational Blocks Programme by NITI Aayog.
"We planned to establish this Farmer Training and Pulses Processing Centre here because Raichur is blessed with Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers. Farmers here have the capacity to grow both paddy and pulses," she said.
Raichur produces about 80,000 metric tonne of 'Masoor Dal' (red gram) and 34,000 metric tonne of chana (Bengal gram) every year, but farmers often sell the produce immediately after harvest and did not get fair prices, the FM noted.
According to her, scientists who have analysed and studied 50 years of data stated that every fourth year brought drought in Raichur, forcing farmers to face losses despite good harvests in earlier years.
"That is why we must rethink cropping patterns and plan comprehensively. Even when the crop is good, we must ensure farmers get fair prices," she said.
Sitharaman also inaugurated the Farmers' Training and Common Facility Centre in Konchigere village of Ballari district, which serves as a hub for chilli processing, packaging, and marketing, aiming to build a sustainable, value-driven ecosystem that empowers farmers and strengthens FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations) across the district.
According to her, this project aims to train Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and farmers through FPOs to enhance value addition to red chilli, one of the major crops cultivated in Ballari district.
The processing unit under this project has an annual capacity of 500 MT of red chilli, producing 380 MT of chilli powder and 95 MT of chilli flakes, she said.
"With over 58,443 acres under cultivation and an annual production of about 1,40,263 MT, Ballari is among the top producers of red chilli in Karnataka," she added.
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Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
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The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
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"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
