As part of his ambitious Kalaburagi Vision 2050, a 30-year programme for changing the backward scenario in different economic sectors in Kalaburagi district, Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani said that Israel model of farming would be implemented in all taluks of the district. The Israel model is known for high productivity with limited resources.
“Israel is known for its unique methods of farming using advanced technologies to achieve high productivity with limited resources. We are planning to implement such farming on 100 acres in each taluk of Kalaburagi district on a pilot basis. We can expand to other areas after assessing the results,” he told mediapersons at the Aiwan-e-Shahi Guest House in Kalaburagi on Tuesday.
Farmers in Kalaburagi had been following the conventional model of agriculture to grow traditional crops such as red gram, green gram, black gram and jowar. But, he said, these were less profitable as compared to cash crops.
“Over the last 20 years, farmers in neighbouring Vijayapura district had shifted to cash crops, especially sugarcane, using Krishna river water through Almatti reservoir. I am planning to take select farmers from Kalaburagi district to Vijayapura so that they can have first-hand knowledge, learn from the experience of successful farmers and implement them back in Kalaburagi,” Mr. Nirani said.
Asked about the severe shortage of sowing seeds, Mr. Nirani said he would immediately convene a meeting of the officers concerned to address the crisis.
ESIC Hospital at Shahabad
Regarding the ESIC Hospital at Shahabad in Kalaburagi district, Mr. Nirani said that the hospital was defunct for the last 15 years. It was renovated and turned into a brand new hospital at a cost of around ₹12 crore.
“The hospital would be ready in 15 days. The hospital comes under the Union Labour Department, which has promised to reimburse the expenses on renovation. The Deputy Commissioner is authorised to procure equipment and appoint manpower for the facility. We are planning to invite Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa for the inauguration of the hospital. We will hand over the hospital to ESIC after the inauguration. If it is not ready to take the facility, the Karnataka government would run it on its own,” Mr. Nirani said.