Ballari MP E. Tukaram addressing a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the district administrative complex in Hosapete on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Ballari MP E. Tukaram has directed the officials concerned to get a survey done by farm scientists and come up with a master plan to revolutionise agricultural practices in Hosapete, Kudligi, Kottur, Huvina Hadagali, Hagari Bommanahalli and Harapanahalli taluks of Vijayanagara district.
Presiding over a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the district administrative complex in Hosapete on Tuesday, the MP said that the Agriculture and Horticulture departments must focus on encouraging farmers in taking up scientific farming based on weather and soil conditions.
โFarmers simply opt for traditional farming and often tend to suffer losses. They should be trained to cultivate particular crops based on soil and weather conditions. We must encourage them to take up commercial crops such as grapes, tamarind and sericulture. First of all, we must get a comprehensive study done by farm scientists to know which crop is suitable for which area and then come up with a master plan for the entire district,โ Mr. Tukaram said.
The parliamentarian also directed the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department officials to encourage farmers to take up livestock and fish farming wherever possible to supplement farm incomes.
Taking stock of the conditions of State-run healthcare facilities in the district, especially in rural areas, Mr. Tukaram directed the officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department to submit a list of requirements, including basic healthcare infrastructure, human resources, equipment and ambulances, to strengthen the healthcare facilities in the district.
When issues relating to child marriage, child labour, child pregnancy and malnutrition among children were taken up for discussion, Mr. Tukaram directed the officials to take up extensive awareness campaigns using multiple art forms to sensitise the people on these issues.
โThe officials at the grassroots level should sincerely work to implement the government programmes meant for fighting malnutrition. We must strive to bring down the case of child malnutrition to zero in the district. Child marriages and resultant child pregnancy cases are still being reported from the district. This is happening because of a lack of awareness. The Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police and the Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat must take these issues seriously and initiate special drives and campaigns to put a full stop to child marriage, child labour and sexual offences against children. I donโt want somebody to point his finger at Vijayanagara district when it comes to these child-related issues,โ Mr. Tukaram said.
Deadline
Reviewing the progress of different housing projects meant for providing houses to economically weaker sections of society, Mr. Tukaram directed the officials concerned to complete work on 917 houses under construction and hand them over to intended beneficiaries before Deepavali.
โYou need to speed up construction work and complete the projects as early as possible. Work on the 917 geotagged houses must be completed and they should be handed over to the beneficiaries before Deepavali. ย As many as 6,420 houses have been granted for Vijayanagara district and 386 beneficiaries have not yet linked their Aadhaars. You need to quicken the process so that the houses could be handed over the beneficiaries at the earliest,โ Mr. Tukaram said.
Legislators M.P. Latha Mallikarjun, N.T. Srinivas and L. Krishna Naik, Deputy Commissioner M.S. Diwakar, Zilla Panchayat CEO ย Nongjai Mohammad Ali Akram Shah, Additional Deputy Commissioner E. Balakrishnappa, Assistant Commissioner Vivekananda P. Chidanand and other senior officers were present.
Published – September 10, 2024 08:38 pm IST
