A day in a village, agricultural minister to address farmer issues

BENGALURU: Agriculture Minister BC Patil will start Grama Vaastaya, or the village stay programme, from November 14, spending an entire day with farmers, discussing their problems, and finding solutions to them. He will do it twice a month and at two different districts. Patil told The New Indian Express that he has chosen Madavina Kodi village in Mandya for his first village stay on November 14 (Saturday), marking his birthday. Asked why Mandya, he said it is close to his heart. “My movie Kaurava was shot in Mandya and it made me popular. Even today, people in Mandya call me Kaurava. Also, as per data, Mandya has recorded a high number of farmer suicides,” said the actor-turned-politician.

Patil said that he wanted to start the programme from April, but had to delay it because of the Covid pandemic. Explaining the concept, he said it’s a day with farmers where the entire agriculture department will be with him at that village to address farmer issues. As hundreds of villagers are expected to attend the programme, all Covid-related precautions will be taken, including social distancing. “I will also distribute masks,” he said.

Progressive farmers too will be invited to give lectures to local farmers, who can adopt best practices. “I am from north Karnataka and Mandya people are known for their ragi mudde. To let them taste the cuisine of our region, we will distribute 2,500 jowar rotis to them,” he added Patil said that he will submit a comprehensive memorandum to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to bring changes in farmers’ lives. 

Earlier, Patil visited all the 30 districts where he focused on low-quality seeds. After his visits, agriculture department officials along with local police cracked down on traders and seized large quantities of poor quality seeds that were affecting farmer produce.