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Coalition will continue Siddaramaiah govt's flagship schemes: Vajubhai Vala

It will take all measures possible to alleviate the distress of farmers'.

Bengaluru: Sending out clear signals that farmers were the top priority of the JD(S)-Congress coalition which seems to have bridged its differences, Governor Vajubhai Vala on Monday said the state government would take all humanitarian measures possible to alleviate the distress of the farming community which has witnessed a spate of suicides in recent years, and also announced that the government is committed to continue all flagship programmes of the previous government headed by Mr Siddaramaiah. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is slated to present the state budget on July 5 with the farm loan waiver likely to be an important component.

In what seems to be a bid to cement ties between the coalition partners, Mr Vala also announced that the government is committed to continue all flagship programmes of the previous government headed by Mr Siddaramaiah. In fact the former CM had been sulking after moves by the JD(S) in particular to scrap some of his popular schemes to fund the massive farm loan waiver. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is slated to present the state budget on July 5 with the farm loan waiver likely to be an important component.

“The days of anxiety for peasants are ending as the government desires to become the voice of voiceless farmers,” said the governor while presenting the priorities of the new government in his address to the joint session of the Assembly and Council. He highlighted various populist initiatives of the previous Congress government like Ganga Kalyana and laptops for students but interestingly, there was no mention of the hugely popular ‘Indira Canteens' launched by Siddaramaiah to provide subsidised food to the needy.

The government has been thinking of ways to protect cultivators and to help them adopt modern agricultural technology. Agriculture should move from dependence on the monsoon to available water resources, said the governor who pointed out that cultivators have become victims of a vicious cycle of crop loss because of flood or drought and poor market returns. The government wants peasants to adopt the Israeli model of farming, he said, adding that officials would visit farming fields to advise peasants on cultivation based on seasonal conditions and water availability. Besides, the government plans to create additional irrigation potential through mirco-irrigation systems and tank filling schemes, the governor said in his speech. On civic problems plaguing Bengaluru, the governor said it was necessary to effectively implement schemes to control traffic and provide drinking water and housing.

“My government will strive for the integrated development of Bengaluru,” he said. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation will complete 118 km of tracks by March 2021. At present, an average of 3.6 lakh commuters travel per day in Namma Metro and this is expected to rise to about 20 lakh. “My government plans to implement the Intelligent Transport System in the core parts of Bengaluru city. Free wi-fi facility, closed circuit cameras, a panic alarm and SOS button in the mobile app for women's safety will be provided in buses,” he added Soon after the governor’s address, the Legislature met again and condoled the death of Jamakhandi MLA Mr Siddu Nyame Gowda and ten other former legislators.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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