In the historic Madikeri Dasara festival, the Agriculture Minister Cheluvaraya Swamy after inaugurating the ‘Coffee Dasara’ organized for the first time at Gandhi Maidan by pouring coffee into a large cup model and said that coffee is the backbone of Kodagu’s economy and the government is always ready to provide necessary facilities to all farmers including coffee growers.
Minister also said that coffee cultivation does not come under the purview of the Agriculture Department and the state government. However, Agriculture Minister Cheluvaraya Swamy has promised to discuss with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers to provide necessary assistance to the farmers as the people who grow coffee are also the farmers, he said.
Paddy cultivation is widely carried out in various parts of the state with the help of reservoirs. Many a times the farmers face difficulties due to lack of available water at the initial stage of farming activities. In order to solve this problem, the state government has taken a decision to remove the agricultural ponds in the water-based areas. He informed that these agricultural ponds will come to the aid of the farmers in waterless situations and clarified that Kodagu district will be given an opportunity to construct 250 agricultural ponds.
Speaking further the Minister said that Kodagu, which is irrigated by the Cauvery River, suffers heavy from rainfall during the monsoon. Cheluvaraya Swamy said that the state government will take responsibility for alleviating the hardships of the people of Kodagu in any such situation.
Dinesh Gundurao, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, who spoke as the chief guest, said that no region can be left out of modernization. He said that in case of any changes, we need to achieve a balanced development without leaving our original culture.
In order to develop coffee cultivation and industry, there is a need to formulate a plan at the state level to create ‘brands’ of coffee grown here, and to create awareness about internal coffee consumption and added that such an effort can provide benefits to the coffee growers.
Dinesh Gundurao also informed that special provision will be made for Kodagu district in the next budget in relation to the health sector.
Chief Minister’s Legal Adviser and MLA A.S. Ponnanna said that it is commendable that the program has been prioritized for coffee cultivation in Madikeri Dasara. He opined that in the years to come, by holding Coffee Dasara with more emphasis on coffee, the importance of coffee would be spread throughout the country.
Madikeri MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda said that farmers who depend on coffee farming are in trouble and should be helped. He appealed to the Minister not to allow land conversion of paddy agricultural lands in order to preserve the agricultural culture of Kodagu.
Ministers Cheluvaraya Swamy, Dinesh Gundurao and Coffee Board President Dinesh Deva Vrinda were honoured on the same occasion on behalf of Madikeri Dasara Committee and Cultural Committee.
Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja, Sub-Divisional Officer Vinayak Narvade, former Member of Legislative Council Veena Achaiah, Karnataka Planters Association Secretary K.Rajeev, Coorg Planters Association President Nanda Belliappa, Mahila Coffee Awareness Association General Secretary Anita Nanda, Coffee Board Member Taluru Kishore Kumar, Guarantee Schemes AnushtanaSamathi. District president Dharmaja Uthappa, Vinod Sivappa, former president of Upasi, B.Y. Rajesh Yallappa, general secretary of Madikeri Dasara Samiti, Basavaraja Gowda, leader of Akka organization of America were present.
Cultural Committee President Anil H.T. Welcomed the gathering, Vinod Moodgadde narrated the program.