Farm University to come up in Mandya: Agriculture Minister

Minister in charge of Mandya district N. Cheluvarayaswamy has said that steps have been taken for establishing a University for Agricultural Sciences at V.C. Farm in Mandya to help farmers and also to engage in research activities. Preparations are underway for setting up the university, said Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy, who is the Minister for Agriculture.

Speaking after inaugurating a programme organised as part of Makar Sankranti at Devalapura village in Nagamangala taluk on Tuesday, the Minister said a lot of farmers from Mandya visit the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bengaluru for information on farm related activities. Understanding the need for establishing the university in Mandya, which has a large number of farmers, a decision has been taken to set up the University for Agricultural Sciences, he informed.

The Minister said the farmers will be benefitted from having the university in Mandya as they would get information on crops and the kind of fertilizers that go into the crops for their effective yield. All information will be provided by the experts in the university.

In his address, Dinesh Gooligowda, MLC said 6 lakh tonnes of sowing seeds had been provided to farmers in the State for sowing in 84 lakh hectares. In Mandya, ₹1,400 crore loan had been provided to farmers at zero percent interest to 1,47,000 farmers.

He said a sum of ₹50 crore was provided to Mysugar factory in Mandya last year and the factory was running satisfactorily. While thanking the Minister for Agriculture for ensuring the start of Mysugar factory, the MLC said the modernisation of V.C. canal has been taken up at a cost of ₹1,400 crore to ensure that the tail end farmers get water in Maddur, Malavalli and Koppa.

The MLC said free tickets to the tune of ₹278 crore had been issued by the KSRTC as part of Shakti scheme that provided free travel to women. The government has reimbursed a sum of ₹280 crore to the CESC towards the Gruha Jyothi scheme under which 4.85 lakh families are benefitting.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Kumara said Makar Sankranti is a festival of soil, farmers, and harvest. Farmers celebrate the harvest of their crop and offer their prayers to the harvested produce. The festival is a symbol of our culture and it is celebrated in a unique manner this year in Mandya.

He said the festival portrays the folk culture practiced in rural areas to the younger generations. The younger generations must participate in such celebrations in large numbers and offer strength to farmers. In this fast-paced era, the younger generations are forgetting farming and sowing. They must cultivate the habit of visiting villages to understand our culture. Instead of celebrating the festival sitting within the four walls of the house, they must come together and celebrate the festival and provide strength to farmers who offer puja to the cows on the occasion.

Published - January 15, 2025 09:04 pm IST