Agriculture Minister expresses helplessness in tackling animals from causing destruction to crops
MARGAO
Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik on Saturday expressed his helplessness in tackling animals from causing destruction to crops across the State, reminding that even dogs cannot be killed as per the Court order.
Warning that the government would not hesitate to recover subsidies availed by unscrupulous persons with false documentation, Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik on Saturday said he would explore the possibility of whether the Goa Horticulture Corporation can procure coconuts through the outlets and help provide better prices for the coconut farmers.
He further said the coconut farmers in the State would get an attractive rate for the produce once the Coconut Corporation takes shape. He said the file pertaining to the setting up of the Coconut Corporation has gone to the Law department for vetting.
Saying no instance of subsidies being taken with false documentation has come to light to date during the tenure, Ravi warned that such subsidies will be recovered by the department if any case is brought to his notice.
When the media drew the attention of the Agriculture Minister to the animal menace faced by the farmers across the State, Ravi only reminded the media that even dogs cannot be killed by the authorities. He, however, sympathised with the farmers over the destruction caused to their crops by the animals for no fault of theirs. “What can the government do in this area when we cannot even kill dogs and other animals,” he added.
Addressing the media after attending the valedictory function of the certificate course in agriculture and horticulture at the Krishi Vikas Kendra, Margao on Saturday, the Agriculture Minister said he would have a meeting with the Chairman of the Horticulture Corporation before taking a final decision on whether the Horticulture Corporation can be roped in to procure coconuts from the farmers.
Making a fervent plea to the youth to take up agriculture in a big way with the schemes unveiled by the Agriculture Department, the Minister said bringing the fallow fields under cultivation will help revive agriculture and keep away the land grabbers from illegally taking over the land. “Goa is small compared to Belagavi district of Karnataka. Hence, we have to do everything possible to ensure that the fields are brought under cultivation so that they are not converted for non-agriculture use.
He said agriculture will get a big boost with the government opening an Agriculture College in the State.
To a question, he said farmers with Kisan credit cards can avail of interest-free loans provided by the government.
Agriculture Director Nevil Alphonso said that the department will bring land admeasuring 10,000 hectares under organic farming, saying the department will train 12,000 farmers in organic farming.
He said the Agriculture Department is providing assistance to the farmers, right from the stage of land preparation to harvesting and marketing of the produce.
