Maize crisis-: Karnataka Govt to call meeting of distilleries and ethanol manufacturers
Karnataka has called a meeting of distilleries and ethanol producers on Friday amid the ongoing maize crisis, as the State considers buying one lakh tonnes for KMF. Minister H.K. Patil said reduced ethanol allocation and lower maize procurement have hurt farmers, urging procurement to rise to 50%.
In the light of the maize crisis in Karnataka, the State government has convened a meeting of distilleries and ethanol manufacturers on Friday to discuss the issue even as it is considering purchase of one lakh tonnes for Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).
Maize, is one of the raw materials in the manufacture of ethanol.
“Ideally, there should not have been a problem. The State’s ethanol manufacturing capabilities and allocation has been reduced by the Centre. Unfortunately, it has been reduced to 20%. The Centre is ignoring the problems of the farmers,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil told presspersons at the post-Cabinet briefing.https://eeb7a56041fbc18c65e1a65d8d59c7cb.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-45/html/container.html?n=0
He said that the Cabinet took serious note of the developments in maize farming.
Stating that maize farmers had been affected on multiple fronts, Mr. Patil said that while ethanol allocation had come down, the maize procurement had fallen by 10 %. “Earlier, maize procurement was at 40%, which has been brought down to 30%. In fact, procurement rate should be raised to 50%,” he said.
Other decisions
Among other decisions, the Cabinet cleared allotment of five acres to Murugodu Bangle Producers Foundation, a special purpose vehicle that will create common facility centre. A sum of ₹1.49 crore, which is 15% of ₹9.95 crore, has been approved as the State’s share.
The Cabinet also approved ₹143.6 crore towards operation and management by a private agency, which will be identified, of State Data Centre, Near Disaster Recovery Centre, and Disaster Recovery Centre, for a period of five years.
Mr. Patil said that approval was given for ₹74.10 crore to build 114 Ayushman Health Centres, ₹200 crore towards construction of check dams and lake development in Kalyana Karnataka region, ₹200 crore for a bridge-cum-barrage across Sharavati river to prevent salt water from entering the river at Mulkod in Uttara Kannada district.
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Source : The Hindu
