Agriculture Minister B.C. Patil on Thursday made it clear that the Israel model of farming, which was a flagship programme of the erstwhile Janata Dal (Secular)–Congress coalition government, would not be shelved.
Addressing his maiden press conference as Agriculture Minister, in Bengaluru, Mr. Patil said the Israel model farming would be implemented from the next financial year.
“It is not possible to implement the scheme suddenly as it requires a lot of preparation,” the Minister said, while pointing out that four agricultural universities and a horticultural university would be roped in to educate farmers about Israel model of farming.
A preparatory meeting in this regard was held with the vice-chancellors of universities and officials concerned about a month ago, he said.
Mr. Patil said the process of transferring ₹6,000 to the accounts of all the registered farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi would be completed within the next 15 days in Karnataka.
Expressing concern over the menace of spurious seeds, the Minister said a letter would be written to the DG&IGP seeking co-operation from the police in cracking the whip on those indulging in sale of spurious seeds.
Mr. Patil, who had earlier been allocated forest portfolio, said the agriculture portfolio had been given to him by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa following his request. However, he remarked that agriculture portfolio was like a bed of thorns.