Bengaluru: The state government plans to organize a study tour to China for around 2,500 agricultural labourers and small farmers of Scheduled Castes and Tribes in the state. The study tour is expected to cost Rs 25 crore to the state exchequer.
Speaking to media persons here, Minister for Social Welfare H Anjaneya said Karnataka would be the first state in the country to organize a study tour for agricultural labourers and small farmers to China. “We have discussed about this in today’s meeting organized for 18 departments to review the progress in the implementation of Scheduled Caste Sub Plan in the state for the benefit of agricultural labourers and small farmers from Scheduled Caste and Tribes in the state,’’ Anjaneya said.
The minister said the elected representatives and government officials at gram panchayat level would select the beneficiaries for the China tour. “The state government will bear the cost of the tour. We arrange passport and visa for them. The duration of the tour will be one week. We will send 100 members at a time to China to study the methods of agriculture and horticulture in China,’’ the minister said.
He said the department of social welfare would arrange to buy two acres of land for each of the members who visit China. “Our objective is to make the beneficiaries to become self-reliant. They can cultivate the land by implementing the Chinese methods and earn more money,’’ he said.
He said that he had given instructions to all the departments to utilize the funds allocated to implement Scheduled Caste Sub Plan without fail. “Many departments could not spend the allocated funds during the last year. We have decided to spend Rs 19,542 crore (including Rs 1800 crore from last year) by the end of March 2017. If any department fails to utilize the allocated funds, the officials concerned will be held responsible for the laxity and a stringent action will be taken against such officials,’’ he said.
